Lost And Found
by xPaige Turnerx
Summary: When the Cullens left Victoria paid a visit to Bella, changing her so she lived with the heartache for eternity. But when Bella isdone the change shefinds herself in the Volturi castle. Will Bella take the pain and turn it into hate and become a Volturi?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Twilight.**

**Prologue: **

I didn't want to move or see Charlie, or Renee, or breathe, or even live. Edward had just left me and I would never see him again, or the rest of the Cullens. I thought he loved me, but it was all just a lie, I was so stupid to fall for it. I actually believed him, but it was so not meant to be; he was a mansion and I was an outhouse. Not really of course but in comparison, definitely. I stumbled through the forest, not paying attention to where I was going, I didn't care anymore. If I got lost it wouldn't matter, how are you supposed to care about anything when you're heart is broken?

"Where's pretty boy, Edward?" A familiar voice snarled behind me. Victoria.

I turned around and blinked away the tears that were blurring my vision, to see her face, twisted with anger. "Gone.." My voice cracked.

"I would prefer if he watched when I kill you. When will he be back?" She spat at me.

"N-never." I fell to my knees, tears pouring down my face.

"Hmm.." She said, circling around me. "Well then I can't very well release you from this torture by killing you..And I want it to last for eternity like mine will." She growled. "So there's really only on thing I can do." My arm wrenched up, popping from it's socket, and teeth sank into my skin. True, the pain was horribly, nightmare-ish but nothing hurts more than a broken heart..a broken heart that's slowly dying. I bit my lip, holding back screams, I didn't want anyone to come searching for me and find Victoria. I faintly remember watching her run off through the woods, grinning evilly.

I woke up on a couch, well 'woke up' isn't very accurate. I had finally gotten somewhat used to the extreme heat of the flames running through my body, scorching everything they touched. Desperate screams passed my lips every so often, and I had begun to wonder how anyone who lived close to the forest hadn't hear them. But somewhere, deep behind the screaming and pain, behind all the heat and burning, I felt something soft, and cool, almost leather on my back and at my fingertips. The fire was so intense that every time my body had a spasm from pain, I couldn't even feel it move and jerk around. Now and then I'd hear voices beyond my screaming and my frantic heartbeat, but I had dismissed it as hallucinations, not trusting my burning mind that there might actually be people around, observing my suffering.

Eventually the fire seemed to cool down, and the pain was a more dull throbbing that was much easier to ignore. I could hear everything, and I mean _everything_. The birds singing in the distance, people walking down the halls outside the room I was in, low whispers on the first story of the building. There was also people who would come into the room to check up on me, one of them always stayed in the room, never leaving, ruffling with papers, writing things down. They had to know what I was, and that means they were also vampires. Just thinking about vampires made my heart stop, bringing a different kind of pain to it, a pain much worse the the scorching flames. Every time it did stop, so would the breathing of the others, until it started up again. "That's the fifth time! How many more times is it going to stop until it stops for good!" I heard some girl ask, clearly annoyed by the false alarms.

"Calm down Heidi, she'll be done soon. Besides, I don't know why we're even keeping her alive, we've already got a shield." Someone hissed.

"You're so sour Jane, jeesh." Heidi sighed. "Come on! Wake up Bella!"

"She can hear you, you know." I heard another voice say, this one male. He was very quiet, I didn't even hear him enter the room.

"Yes master, it was silly of me to forget." Heidi said hastily.

"Is there something you require?" Asked Jane.

The air around me shifted from someone leaning close to me, and then I heard the man's voice close to my head. "No, I was just checking on our Bella here. Once she is done the change, her conditioning will begin until she is a loyal Volturi member and then I want you and Alec to train her, understood?"

"Yes, of course Aro." Jane replied. "She will be a lethal Volturi member by the end of the week, master."

* * *

**So? Tell me what you think. I've got some ideas for this story but if you guys don't review I won't know if you like it or not and will probably just end up taking it down.**

**~Paige**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alice's POV (25 years later)**

"Hey Alice, want to go shopping?" Bailey asked me from her and Edward's room. I absolutely hate her, everyone but Edward did, and the only reason he didn't was because she looked faintly like Bella. A couple of years after we had left Bella and Edward was done sulking in his room every day, we had run into another vampire while we were hunting. We'd all thought it was Bella at first since we hadn't heard of anyone but ourselves and the Denali coven who hunted animals, and she did look like Bella too. But we soon found out that it was not her, Edward could read her mind, and she was completely opposite of Bella. Unfortunately, since she shared some of Bella's physical features, Edward wouldn't leave her side, which bothered everyone since it was his fault in the first place that we couldn't see Bella, but he was talking more, so we let him be.

I looked over to Rosalie who was glaring at the room above us and then looked back down to me, shaking her head. "Me and Rose are in the middle of something, Bailey." I replied as nicely as I could.

"That's fine, I'll just come help you." She said and we could hear her on the stairs already.

Rosalie looked like she wanted to kill someone. "No, really, you wouldn't want to, we're just..." I began but was saved by a vision.

_It was dark out, most likely night, though I couldn't see any sky. The vision became more clear and I could make out multiple vampires huddled in the corner of the room, whispering to one another, looking terrified. I was a little shocked to see five of them there, it was unusual for covens to get so big, but all of them whipping their heads to the door made me focus again. Four pairs of ruby red eyes entered the room and was accompanied by Alec of the Volturi's voice. "Forgive us for not knocking, but we had a feeling you wouldn't answer if we did." He said patiently._

_"W-what is it you need?" One of the vampires in the corner said, stepping towards the eyes. I concentrated and could barely see the outlines of the Volturi members, all of them on the petit side. If I had to guess, I'd say it was Alec, Jane, and two other females._

_"You know why we are here." Jane hissed. "You've created a large coven without consulting with Aro, Caius, and Marcus. You now must come back with us to Italy and serve your punishment."_

_The vampires in the corner all got into crouches, hissing at the Volturi. "No, we've done nothing wrong, we broke no laws. I refuse to let any of my coven return with you."_

_"Then your punishment shall be death." Alec said smoothly. "Bella?"_

_Flames ignited by one of the other two females, lighting the room somewhat. I gasped when I saw the face of my old best friend, with the perfection of a vampire, and the eyes of a human blood drinker. The vision was ending and blacking out but I could still hear the screams of the vampires being ripped apart._

When I came out of the vision I was grimacing, and found myself in the living room now, surrounded by everyone. My eyes immediately locked with Edward's and he was staring intently at me, though his face was a marble mask of nothing. "What did you see?" Jasper asked me.

My eyes never left Edward when I replied "The Volturi...and Bella."

The room was full of gasps but Carlisle calmed everyone down with Jasper's help. "What do you mean, did they take her for knowing our secret?" He asked.

"No, she, they, she was a member." I said and there was more gasping.

"She was a member? But they're evil and kill and stuff. Our Bella is not like that, she would never." Emmett said, pacing the room.

"She's not our Bella anymore." I replied glumly.

The room was quiet for a few moments and then Esme jumped to her feet. "Maybe she is, maybe she's in some kind of trouble and had to make a deal with them. They could have threatened Charlie or someone close to Bella and she had no choice."

"We should go and help her, or at least see what's going on." Rosalie suggested.

Everyone looked at Edward who was looking at Bailey who didn't look pleased. "Yes, yes, fine, let's go see her so we can confirm the fact that she _isn't_ _your_ Bella anymore." She growled, stomping off to her and Edward's room.

Edward turned to us and after a moment's of hesitation, the first smile in twenty five years broke out over his face. "Wipe that look off your face you nincompoop." I hissed, getting to my feet and glaring at him. "We left for nothing, you made us leave her so she wouldn't be in trouble from us anymore and without us she was turned and forced to join the Volturi." With that, I turned on my heel and walked up to my room to pack for the trip to Italy.

* * *

**I said I wasn't going to do anymore until I got reviews, but I couldn't help but write this, and if you see where it's going it might get you hooked.**

**BUT, **_**now**_** I'm not updating until I get...7 reviews. :D**

**So, don't be afraid to hit that button!**

**~Paige**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys!**

**Okay, the voting is over. Drum roll please....BELLA/ALICE WON! Huh, there was actually no votes for Edward/Bella xP. Poor Eddie. Oh well, maybe if he wasn't such a drama queen in New Moon some people would have voted for him.**

**However, making this a Bella/Alice fanfic, means that updates will be less frequent since I've never done this kind of fanfic before, and though there is nothing wrong with being gay, I'm a girl and this will be..new and ..different. Oh, also, I am a little sad, poor Jasper, he didn't do anything and now he has to loose Alice. Maybe we can find him someone too! ;D**

**~Paige**


	4. Chapter 4

**Bella's POV**

I watched as she ran back to the car at a human pace seeing as the people on the street stopped to gawk at her like they usually do. She got back into the passenger seat, tucking her brown hair behind her ear. "They didn't have any left." She said, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Renesmee, it's a Blood Bank, they never run out. Get back in there and pick up our supply." I grumbled.

"But mom.." She she said giving me puppy dog eyes. No, she wasn't really my daughter. Shortly after I had joined the Volturi, I was sent on an assignment and Jane had accidently killed her mother when she was just a baby. I begged Aro to let me keep her and take care of her when Jane insisted that she be killed as well. Aro had areed on one condition; that she be turned when she reached sixteen. It had been a struggle naming her, Heidi had suggested naming her after my mom, and no matter how much it hurt and I didn't like it, Esme was more of a mom to me in some ways than Renee. So a mixture of their name turned out to be Renesmee. "I don't see why we can't just hunt like the others do."

"Because, what they do can't even be classified as hunting. It's tricking innocent people to walk onto their plates. I don't want you killing any humans." I said sternly.

"Fine." She sighed, getting back out of the car and running up to the door of the Blood Bank. I waited a few minutes, silently cursing humans' slow pace as I watched the sun almost break over the horizon. It would be fine as soon as Renesmee got back in the car, we had extremely tinted windows, but the Blood Bank had normal windows everywhere and she'd soon be lighting up the place like a walking disco ball.

"Hurry - agh!" I screamed when I looked over and saw her already in the car again. Damn, she was fast.

"Up?" She added and then laughed as we sped back to the castle.

"So." I said after a while of silence. "You and Demetri are..uh..sorta.."

"Dating?" She asked and I nodded, looking out my window. Wow, I really am Charlie's daughter. I briefly wondered what Charlie was up to and decided he was probably fishing since it was the weekend. "Yes, do you have a problem with that?" She laughed.

"No, I was just curious." I replied. "I'd keep your eye on him though, he's known to brake hearts and I wouldn't want to have to break his everything if he did that to you." I added, smiling.

She laughed harder. "Thanks mom." She said and then leaned forward in her seat, squinting out the windshield. "Those aren't our cars."

"Hmm?" I asked, following her line of direction and looking at the multiple sports cars. They certainly weren't ours, we drove mostly limos and the occasional shiny black van for assignments, like the one Renesmee and I were currently driving."Let's go have a look." I said quietly and pulled into one of the many garages. "Leave the blood for now, er, take one for now." I said, swallowing the venom that had pooled in my mouth as I looked at the blood packs swishing around in the boxes in the back. I reached in and grabbed two, tossing one to Renesmee who quickly downed it, but Maria blurring out here made me tuck mine away in my cloak.

"There you are!" She hissed, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the castle with Renesmee on our trail. "We've been looking everywhere for you, we've got unexpected guests and we need your shield."

I immediately snapped out my shield, making sure to cover everyone in the castle with it. "Who are the guests?" I asked.

"One of them is my High school sweetheart." She grinned.

"How do you even remember that far back?" Renesmee asked, looking at her curiously.

"She can't. She was changed in High school, so it must be one of the poor souls she toyed with as a vampire." I smirked. "But hey, maybe you'll rekindle your relationship now that you're not the spawn of satan himself." I added cheerily and Renesmee snickered.

She glared at us and growled under her breath. "That won't matter to Jasper." And sped off. **(Yes, this is Jasper's Maria, still alive and not so crazy in my fanfic. He needed someone if he can't have Alice. :])**

I tripped over nothing and fell forward, something I never do unless I'm _really_ stressed or taken off guard. "Jasper?" I croaked.

"What's wrong?" Renesmee asked, helping me to my feet again. "Whose Jasper?"

"Nothing, I'm sure it's a different one." I mumbled and turned down a different hallway than her. She knew me enough to know not to follow since I wanted to be alone and continued down her way. There was no way that it could be Jasper Whitlock, I mean, what would he be doing here anyways? I shook my head, laughing at myself for over reacting to a name, but saw someone who wasn't wearing any cloak walk into my hall. I blurred quickly over and whispered in her ear. "Lost, are we?" And grinned when she squealed and spun around. My grin faltered somewhat when I looked at someone who could have been my sister. She had the same mahogany hair as me, though mine was longer, and was a little taller than me, but other than that we had the same structure, and facial features. Except for my uneven lips, those were still mine.

"Y-yes, I am. I should have stayed with my coven, but I really wanted to look around some and I guess they didn't realize I left." She said nervously. I'd never get tired of how much other vampires were afraid of Volturi, it was quite amusing.

"Well, that was not smart of you." I replied darkly and bit my cheek to keep from laughing when she stepped back. "What's your name." I demanded quickly when I heard Aro call for me.

"Bailey." She answered hastily.

"Come with me Bailey and try not to get lost, I can't guarantee the next one who finds you will be quite so forgiving of your snooping." I hissed and turned down another hall that would lead to the throne room.

"I wasn't snooping." She said with a shaky voice. Sheesh, she was practically human! Vampires don't have shaky voices or stutter.

I grunted in response and quickly chugged the bag of blood, crumpling the package and stuffing it in one of the many statues of armor that were all around the castle. I breezed into the throne room, taking my spot in between Jane and Alec who were growling at the guests that I could see Bailey join from the corner of my eye. I could see Maria trying to get my attention and looked over to her, seeing her point to her chin. I ran a finger along my own and watched as a drop of blood fell to the ground. I smiled as I heard the guests all hold their breath, and licked the blood from my finger, looking up into eight pairs of wide topaz eyes, my own bright red ones growing wide as well. "The Cullens?" I gasped.

* * *

**Well? Good, bad? Let me know in a review. And since you guys seem to be enjoying this fanfic so much, and I am turning it into a Bella/Alice one for you, I think I'll as for 7 reviews again before the next chapter. *Grins* Yay, I never get to ask for a certain amount of reviews.**

**Have a good one guys.**

**~Paige**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alice's POV**

"Bella." Aro called as we all stood in the throne room. I hated having to come here, but my vision hadn't changed which meant that what I saw really did happen, so we'd have to put up with the Volturi to see Bella again. One of the things I hated about this place was the Volturi themselves, they all looked like they were waiting for a reason to kill us, and they outnumbered us quite a bit. There was two of them by the door to the throne room we had come from, Caius, Marcus, and Aro on their thrones with Jane and Alec in front, two other by the side door that had people on the other side of it I could hear, and three more standing behind us in case there was any 'funny business'. To top it off, Bailey had managed to stray from us and was now lost somewhere in the castle, though Edward didn't look too worried, so she must have been close enough for him to hear her thoughts.

The large oak side door swung open and my jaw dropped as I saw Bella glide into the room wearing a matching cloak to Alec and Jane's, with a nervous looking Bailey trailing behind. Bailey quickly went and stood beside Edward who put an arm around her waist, as Bella took her spot between the twins. Another female vampire by the door Bella had entered was motioning to her chin and Bella wiped a finger along her own, watching as a drop of blood fell to the floor. We all took an unconscious step back, and Bella grinned, looking up from the ground to us. Soon after her eyes were the size of saucers and she gasped out "The Cullens?"

"_This_ is Bella?" Bailey rasped, looking at Bella incredulously.

Bella's eyes flickered over to Bailey and then to the arm around her waist, barring her teeth as a low growl grumbled in her chest. "You were expecting someone different?" She hissed and Bailey quickly looked away. Coward.

"N-no, I just thought you'd be more...friendly." Bailey mumbled.

Bella and the other Volturi members laughed darkly. "That Bella has long since been lost to the pain growing in her." Alec said, looking over at Bella.

"Bella?" I asked hesitantly. Her gaze met mine and her face softened, but soon returned to a hard marble mask of nothing as she looked to the wall past me.

"Why did you come here?" She asked, not looking at any of us.

"We came to see why you had joined the Volturi." Carlisle said gently.

Her bright red eyes then shifted to Edward and turned to dark slits. "Because my last family abandoned me in the forest and left me for dead with Victoria around the corner." She growled. Edward looked down at his feet, his arm falling from Bailey's waist as he slid his hands in his pockets.

"We made a mistake Bella, we're here to ask you to join the family again." Edward said.

"No." Bella replied. "The mistake you made was coming here. Is this all you needed me for master?" She asked, turning to Aro. He nodded, looking at her and then all of us. "I will be in my room if you require my presence again." She said and then blurred back out of the room.

"I'm assuming that didn't go as planned." Aro said after a moment of silence and got up out of his chair, walking towards us. "Let's have a walk Cullens." He led us out of the throne room and down a hall until we were out of ear shot of everyone else, and stopped abruptly, turning to face us. "I've come to care about Bella quite a bit over the years, and like Alec said, she is losing herself in her pain. I'm not usually one to let my gifted go easily, but if it means bringing her back and keeping her back, then you may stay in the castle and try to find the old Bella for as long as you need."

"Thank you, old friend." Carlisle said.

"The guest wing is up those stairs and down the hall." Aro said, pointing to the stairs to the left of us, and then left to return to the throne room and the others.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We had settled into our rooms, and the boys had gone out to hunt while the rest of us stayed in Esme's room to talk and try to plan things. "I don't know about you guys, but _I_ think she's long gone and there's no point in trying." Bailey said. I refrained from ripping her apart myself, and settled for glaring at her like Rosalie and Esme were.

"I disagree." Esme said in a strained voice. She must have really been mad, I'd never heard her talk like that before. "I think we need to try and talk to her more, away from all those other Volturi members."

"Do you think she'd give us the time of day even? She looked very upset. We should get Aro to tell her to like show us around Italy or the castle or something and _then_ try and talk to her." Rosalie said, pacing the room. "What do you think, Alice? Have you had any helpful visions?"

"No, but I haven't really tried." I answered and got up from the chair I was sitting in. "I'll try now, excuse me."

I went out onto the balcony of the room, looking down over the gardens behind the castle, and spotted Emmett and Jasper talking. "You're thinking about her too much, Jasper. You need to be thinking more about Alice." Wait, what? Who was he thinking about? I frowned and leaned further against the railing to hear.

"I can't help it, just seeing her makes me feel...I don't know." Jasper said, running a hand through his hair. "But knowing how she feels...Em, Maria loves me."

I felt a pang in my heart hearing his words. I could hear it in his voice, see it in his face. He loved her too. But did he still love me? I shook my head, running back through the room and waving away Esme and Rosalie who started to come after me. I needed to be alone. I ran down the halls, looking for a door or window, something that would lead me outside. I finally found a window at the end of the hall, jumping out it and speeding off to the woods beside the castle. Once I couldn't run anymore, I fell to my knees dry sobbing.

I was so upset I didn't even hear the person behind me until they spoke, scaring me and making me spin around to look at them. "Men are stupid and can only be relied on to break your heart." Bella said, examining her cloak in the moonlight as she leaned against a tree. "Unfortunately I also had to learn that the hard way."

"And how did you get over it?" I asked, getting to my feet.

She shrugged and her red eyes met my topaz ones for the second time that night. "I didn't."

* * *

**Like I even need to ask....REVIEW please? ^^**

**~Paige**

**Oh, but, just letting you know, I'm working tomorrow and the next day, but I'll try and update. Promise.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys!**

**So, just letting you know, I'm quite sad that I had to make Jasper and Alice no longer Jalice. If Stephanie Meyer happens to read this by some small chance, I'm telling her you guys told me to do it. xP**

**Bella's POV**

Alice looked at me for a few moments and I wondered what she was thinking about. "You didn't?" She repeated.

I shook my head. "No, getting over it would mean that it doesn't bother you anymore and you can start to forgive the person. It still pisses me off to no extent and I haven't forgiven Edward."

She sighed and looked at the sky. "I don't want to have to forgive Jasper."

"Alice." I said and looked her in the eye so she knew I was serious, though I'm sure she would have gotten that if my back was to her. "What he did… It's not the worst thing that could happen. He may still even love you, and if he doesn't, then you can understand that he just fell back out of love with you. It's not like he pretended to love you and dump you when he got bored." I said and looked away. "He's part of your family today and he will be tomorrow and cares about you no matter what, just like the others. Go back to them, you don't have to be alone."

It was quiet and I suspected her to run back to the castle like I said to. But instead, I felt her hand on my shoulder. "Neither do you. You've still got us, you have me."

As much as I wanted to believe that, I couldn't. How could I trust her or any of them when they already left once? "You're twenty-five years too late." I choked out and blurred back to the castle.

I slowed down once I got to the castle, storming through the halls to my room. "Bella?" I heard Maria behind me say. I kept my pace as I turned to another hall and she followed. "Is something wrong?" She asked and I shook my head. "Are you okay?" I nodded. "Obviously you're not, what's wrong-" She said but I had spun around and shoved her against the wall, rattling the pictures hung along it, digging my fingers in her shoulder.

"I'm fine." I hissed and turned to leave. _That's for hurting Alice_, I added in my head. I turned into a room, not really paying attention, just thinking that I had to get out of that hall before Maria got the courage to confront me like I knew she was bound to do. I looked up and saw Bailey frozen in place looking at me with her TV remote in her hand. Crap, this must have been her and Edward's room. "Uh…"

"Edward isn't here." She hissed.

Did she seriously just do what I think she did? "I wasn't looking for him." I growled.

She got to her feet and raised her chin defiantly as she strode over to me. "Let's get one thing straight. I don't care what everyone else says, Edward is mine and always will be."

I clenched my fists to keep from slapping the look she had right off her little face. "Keep him._ I. Don't. Want. Him_." I hissed back and walked out of the room. This was not my day. Luckily, I knew what would help me cool off, and I sprinted to my room, quickly changing into the training gear the Volturi had, which was just a pair of black sweat pants and a black tank top. With the feeling of wanting to rip Bailey apart, I ran down to the basement where we had a huge room the size of a football field with a platform for Caius' throne at one end.

"Bella!" Heidi called and waved me over to her, Renesmee, Jane, and Alec who were also wearing my attire and sparing in front of the empty platform. "Whoa, someone looks upset, how about taking it out on your buddy Jane there." Heidi said, taking a step back from me. Jane turned her head and barred her teeth at Heidi, letting out a little growl.

I shook my head and grabbed Renesmee's hand, pulling her away from the platform to spar with. "Seriously though," She said quietly. "You want to talk about it?"

"No." I replied, tying my hair up and crouched down.

We all sparred for an hour-ish and then practiced our gifts if we had them. Jane was currently helping me practice with mine while I shielded Alec as she tried to make him feel like he was burning. But all I could seem to think about was Bailey. Who did she think she was talking to me like that? I should have ripped an arm off her just to teach her to respect Volturi members. And as if she thought I was there for Edward, did she not understand that he was a jerk that I didn't even want to look at right now? Ugh, I hated her so much!

Alec screamed and fell to the floor while Jane looked up from him writhing. "Bella! Focus, I just burnt my brother! If Edward is distracting you that much, let me talk to him."

Renesmee looked to Heidi. "Jane _talking_ to people?"

Heidi shook her head. "No, _torturing_ sounds more like Jane."

"She must have mixed them up because they both start with 'T'." Renesmee finished.

I helped Alec to his feet. "Sorry. And no, I don't want you _talking_ to any of them. I don't want to stoop that low."

Heidi and Renesmee looked at each other and then me with black eyes, grinning ear to ear. "We don't mind stooping that low." They said in unison.

I sighed. "Eh, I'll think about it." I said, flopping down in Caius' throne.

"Speak of the devil," Renesmee hissed, jumping to the large arm of the throne and sitting down on it. "Here comes Eddie and his posy now."

Jane, Alec, and Heidi all moved closer to the throne, glaring at the Cullens as they entered the basement. "And this is the training field." I could hear Felix say as he and Demetri lead the Cullens in.

"Where, unfortunately, we need to stay and train in. But feel free to continue to look around the castle." Demetri added, turning his back on them and walking over with Felix, looking pissed.

Felix slipped out of his cloak, and growled "I hate playing babysitter."

"Why the hell would you bring them here." Jane growled.

"Now they won't leave since Bella is here." Alec added in a much calmer voice, but glared at the two.

"That's fine, I was leaving anyways." I ground out, getting up and walking over to the stairs with the others on my trail. The Cullens all stopped in my way, Alice and Emmett crossing their arms over their chests smiling playfully. "Move." I spat.

"We want to talk to you." Emmett said, unaffected by my rudeness.

"No." I growled, going to step around them.

But of course Alice stepped back in my way. "Make you a deal?" She said and I reluctantly nodded. "We'll fight for a conversation. If I beat you, you stay and talk to us, if you win, they we'll let you leave."

I looked at her for a moment. "No using your gift to look into the future to see what I'm going to do."

"I can't even if I wanted to, your shield is blocking me from seeing you or any of the Volturi." She replied. "I think you're blocking Jasper too." She said, and I think I was the only one hear her stumble over his name and grimace as she said it.

"Fine…Go!" I said and leaped at her. The others had moved and a split second before I could make contact with Alice, she had stepped to the side, leaving me to fall to the floor. I looked over my shoulder at her as I got to my feet again. "You're fast, I'll give you that. But I _will_ win. Now is your chance to surrender."

An expression flickered across her face, but it was too quick for me to recognize. "Never." She laughed.

Twenty minutes later, everyone had grown tired of watching us and started sparring with each other. Alice really was fast and the only thing I could think of doing to end this was practically lay on her because she was so small, pinning her legs with my knees and holding her wrists above her head on the floor. I laughed as she struggled to free herself and leaned in close to her ear. "I win." I whispered. She raised her head and I expected some witty remark to be whispered back in my ear. But I ended up jerking my head backin surprise as I felt her lips graze my neck. I looked around to see if anyone else witnessed it, which no one seemed to, and then back to her wide eyes. She tilted her head to the side and looked at Edward who was walking over and my eyes narrowed. This was some kind of plan they had. I ignored my heart ache and jumped to my feet. "Stop playing with my emotions." I hissed and then sped out of the basement.

* * *

**O.O Wow... Drama!**

**Anywhoozles, review pleeeeeeaaaaasssseeee!!!!!!!!!!**

**I'll try and update again tomorrow, and there's more chance of an update if you review... :D**

**~Paige**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alice's POV**

I looked back from Edward to Bella, seeing her looking at him and then me, hurt in her eyes. She jumped to her beet, hissing "Stop playing with my emotions." Before blurring back up the stairs.

Did that really just happen? I took a deep breath and got to my feet. "What was that about?" Edward asked, looking at the stairs.

"You don't know?" I asked curiously.

"No, Bella has her shield around _everyone_ in the castle." He said and then looked at me. "Anyways, I need your help making Bailey want to leave the family."

"Why?"

"So I can try and win Bella back-"

"No!" I blurted out and then bit my lip when he looked at me sharply. "I mean, because I'm starting to really like Bailey." I said, trying to keep eye contact so he would believe me.

"That doesn't matter. I love Bella and Bailey is going to be a problem in getting her back."

I turned and face him completely, putting my hands on my hip. "Well, maybe you shouldn't have gone and ruined what you had with Bella. None of us would be in this mess if it wasn't for you." I growled and walked off towards the rest of the family. "Jasper, I need to talk to you. Alone." I added when everyone looked at me.

"Alright." He replied and we walked back through the castle to our room, me keeping my eye out for Bella the whole time. "What's wrong?" He asked once we were in the room.

I sat down on the corner of the bed and looked at him. "I know about you and Maria."

"There's no 'us'!" He said quickly, kneeling down in front of me and taking my hands.

"No, but I know you both want there to be. You love her and she loves you." I said and Jasper looked away, guiltily. "But I learnt recently that I rather be over it and not have it affect me than not and be angry or hurt by it." I continued, smiling at him when he looked back at me. "I've actually learnt a lot recently," I wasn't really sure if I wanted to tell anyone, but if it had to be someone, then I'd want it to be Jasper, so I finished my sentence and held my breath. "Like that I…love Bella."

He smiled and got to his feet, pulling over and chair and sitting in it. "We all love Bella, that's why we're here."

I sighed and wished Bella's shield wasn't blocking _his_ gift, so he could just feel how I felt and I wouldn't have to explain it for him. "No, I'm _in_ love with her." I clarified and his jaw dropped.

"Huh?"

"You heard me the first time, don't make me say it again." I said. "But there's a problem, well, a few problems."

"Like?" He asked curiously.

"The biggest? Edward still loves her and is trying to win her back. I'm not sure how she feels about me. And lastly, I think she thinks I'm planning something with Edward."

"Why would she think that?"

"Um…"

"I can't help unless you tell me." He said, pulling his chair closer.

"These feelings have been mulling around in me ever since I saw her in the throne room, and they've been getting stronger and more pronounced every time I see her, and then I knew for sure when we were talking out in the forest. So when we were sparring, she pinned me and I couldn't stop myself from kissing her and then I did at the last second, but she still felt it. Then Edward started walking over so I broke eye contact and turned, looking at him and then back to her and she looked angry and hurt and dashed out of there before I could do anything."

"Wow…um, well, what did she look like before you broke eye contact?" He asked, thinking deeply.

"Pretty much the same as me; shocked to her very core." I answered.

"That's not a _bad_ sign." He tried but I shook my head.

"It's not a sign at all Jasper, it was a reaction. And now how am I supposed to try and talk to her?" I said but stopped abruptly when we heard someone screaming in the hall. We ran to the door of the room and could see the rest of the family along the wall to give room for the large vampire carrying a screaming boy, followed by Jane, Bella, who by the way wouldn't even look at me, and Alec, followed by Heidi and the Renesmee girl.

Heidi and Renesmee stopped in front of me and waited for the screaming to get out of hearing ranged before getting in my face. "What did you do?" Heidi spat.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Why was she getting mad at me?

"To Bella!" Renesmee said, looking more sad and worried than angry like Heidi was. "What did you do? She's gone again, she won't talk to anyone, she hasn't been this bad since four birthdays of hers ago."

"I don't know, I didn't do anything." I said, looking back down the hall to the stairs the screaming boy was taken up.

"The hell you didn't." Heidi hissed.

Renesmee spun her around to face her. "Take a walk Heidi." She growled, pushing her back down the hall. Heidi growled back but reluctantly left while everyone else came into Jasper and mine's room. "Please, I won't get mad or tell anyone, I just don't want to lose Bella again."

"Maybe it's us being here, we should just leave so she can live in peace." Bailey said.

Eight pairs of eyes turned to glare at her and she shrank back farther into the couch she was sitting on. "No." Edward said. "Let me talk to her." He suggested in a softer tone, looking back to Renesmee.

"No!" I said, jumping to my feet. "I will, we used to be best friends." I looked over to Jasper who got the hint.

"I agree." He said, getting to his feet. "I think Edward would just make her angrier and we'd lose her even more, I think Alice should talk to her."

Renesmee pondered it for a few moments and then shook her head. "But if you were her best friend before wouldn't she still be nearly as angry and upset with you for leaving her as him?" She said, jerking her thumb in Edward's direction. "Who wasn't so close, but kinda?" She asked, looking at the others.

We all looked to Rosalie who shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think that's a good idea, she didn't exactly like me when she was human." Rosalie replied.

"I wonder why." Emmett said sarcastically but gave her a peck on the cheek when she looked insulted. "What if Esme went with Rose?"

"Good idea." Edward agreed. "You were like a mom to her before and she could use a mother right now. And a sister, so be nice." Edward said, looking at Rosalie.

"Of course I will, how could you even think otherwise." She hissed.

"That might work." Renesmee said, getting to her feet and walking to the door. "Go down to the library, it's where she goes a lot, I'll send her down from the tower to meet you there." She said before zipping out the door.

"I hope this works." Esme said as her and Rosalie left for the library.

Emmett jumped to his feet with a big grin on his face. "We're going to have all eight Cullens back again!" Bailey cleared her throat loudly and glared at him. "Oh, sorry. I forgot about you." He said sheepishly and sat back down.

We all sat around the room waiting for Esme and Rosalie and possibly Bella with them, to return to the room. It was agonizingly long, I had taken to pacing the room and then the hall, and then back in the room going over different scenarios with the others as we waited. When I glanced at the large clock in the room again it said that only ten minutes had passed. Turns out grandfather clocks are _very_ fragile and a little gust of wind could break them.

"Alice, go for a walk if it's bothering you that much!" Carlisle finally said as I started wearing the floor down in the pattern I was pacing.

"Fine." I huffed, leaving the room and other five agitated vampires behind. I stalked down the halls of the castle, finding the stairs quickly and heading to the ground floor. A few Volturi members stopped to watch me go by every now and then, but they generally didn't care or had more import things to do than question me. I walked out of the castle, to the gardens I saw before, looking at the rose bushes that turned the gardens into a maze, and all the roses of different colours, red, white, black, though I'm sure there were many fakes, but it still was quite a sight.

I heard a fountain up ahead some and followed the trickling water noise to find it in the middle of the gardens, and also to find someone sitting on it's ledge, making their own ripples with their fingers. I couldn't tell who it was since the hood of their cloak was up, and was about to turn and leave when a lock of mahogany hair fell from the hood, nearly touching the water.

I crept closer and looking to the fountain and saw Bella's unhappy reflection, so I sat down a little ways from her and tried the humorous approach. "We've got to stop meeting like this." I tried, but got nothing of a response in return. I sighed and scooted closer. "Okay, you don't have to talk, but please just listen." Still nothing from her. "I'm sorry, for a lot of stuff too. I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for coming back and messing up your life here with the Volturi, and I'm sorry about what happened while we were sparring."

She paused making the ripples and then started again.

"And I'm not sure what you think happened, if you think theirs is some sort of plan Edward and I have got, but it isn't true."

She snapped up and looked at me with glowing red eyes, startling me so much that I was shocked into silence. "Oh really? So this isn't a plan, you just happened to kiss me?" She growled.

I hesitated and then sighed, figuring the truth couldn't mess anything up more than it already did. "No, it was intentional."

She narrowed her eyes, leaning closer to look me in the eyes, not giving me a chance to look away. "Why?"

"Because I..I…"

"What, you _love_ me?" She spat, crossing her arms.

"Yes." I whispered.

She snorted and got to her feet. "Yeah, if you think I'm going to believe that one, you're sorely mistaken Alice."

I dropped my head, looking down at my lap. "I'm sorry."

"For what, now?" She asked, not looking at me, but also not leaving like I thought she might.

"That you don't trust me." I replied, looking back up to her back.

"She looked over her shoulder with a guarded look. "How am I supposed to? How am I supposed to trust any of you, Alice?"

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out more of the truth. "Because, we didn't want to leave, we tried to convince Edward to change his mind! But he wouldn't Bella, he thought by leaving you, he was protecting you from us!" I said and then clasped a hand over my mouth. Crap, that wasn't my secret to tell.

She laughed darkly. "Fat lot of good that did." But then her face turned soft again, with the hurt back in her dark eyes. "Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"I begged him to let me, but he wouldn't, he thought I'd be too weak and not leave you. Which is probably the truth, but that's beside the point…" I mumbled.

She walked over to me cautiously. "You're not lying, all that was the truth?" She asked. I could only nod in response. She smiled weakly as her eyes went to a dull red and I saw my old best friend for the first time in year. "I missed you-" She said but was cut off.

"BELLA!" Someone screamed from the castle. "The newborn is on the loose!" They continued and we heard multiple crashes.

When I looked back to Bella, my friend was replaced by a dark, growling stranger who looked ready to kill someone. "Sorry." She whispered, and whizzed back off to the castle hissing.

* * *

**Hey guys, another update during the week! Well, during while I work!**

**Anyways, review and tell me what you think! Please!**

**:]**

**~Paige**


	8. Chapter 8

**Bella's POV**

I ran up the stairs shaking my head, trying to ignore the tingling sensation on my neck. Why did I always end up falling for one of the Cullens? Were they giving off some sort of chemical that made them irresistible?

I made it to the other side of the castle where my room was so I could grab my cloak again. I heard feet shuffling around inside and whipped the door open. "I'm trying to remember the last time I opened a door and you _weren't_ there." I spat as Bailey glared at me. How did she even get here before me anyways, wasn't she down in the basement with the rest of the Cullens? "What the hell are you doing in my room?"

"I was lost. This is _your_ room?" She asked in a bubbly voice and then returned to glaring.

Quick as a flash I ran up to her, shoving her back into my arm chair, glaring at her shocked face as the chair fell backwards, and perched on it, holding her down by her throat. "Need I remind you that you are in the _Volturi_ castle, in a _Volturi_ room, pissing off an _Elite Volturi_ member who is looking for an excuse to turn you to ashes?" I hissed.

"N-no, I'm sorry." She stuttered.

"Aro's guest or not, if you so much as _look_ at me the wrong way again, I _will_ rip off your arm and beat you with it. Now. Get. Out."

The moment my hand left her neck she bolted it out of the room.

I had slid on my cloak when I felt Demetri trying to break through my shield to find me, our signal that I was needed. I quickly dashed out of my room and down the hall, passing Alice and Jasper's room as their door was closing. I heard a rapid heartbeat in the throne room and a human's erratic breathing. The room was pitch black when I slipped in and I immediately knew why the human was freaking out, all you could see were our red eyes and the outlines of some of us. I looked closely at the boy, in his early twenties and wearing a priest suit.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at Aro who nodded. "Please, y-you don't have to do this…" The priest said, his heart skipping a beat with every step closer to him I took. "You're a heartless creature!" He yelled when I stopped in front of him.

"Tell me something I don't know." I said before sinking my teeth into his neck. After a few seconds, long enough for my venom to get into his system I pulled away and he crumpled to the floor screaming.

"Get him up to the tower." Caius ordered.

Ivan, one of the older Volturi members, carried the priest while Jane, Alec, and I followed behind, followed by Renesmee and Heidi. "What do they want with him?" I asked Alec.

"He had some sort of disease in his blood and Aro thinks that it will make his venom lethal to other vampires."

"That sounds like it will cause more problems than solve, eh Bella?" Renesmee chimed.

But I didn't answer, we had reached the Cullen's floor and my body had gone partly numb, I couldn't talk even if I wanted to.

"Bella?" Heidi asked.

The Cullens, minus Alice and Jasper, were all in the hall and moved aside, staring wide eyed as we walked by with the screaming boy. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Alice and Jasper looking out from their door way. The tear in my cold heart sizzled with fresh pain, so much I nearly let a dry sob rack though my body. Luckily, I did what Marcus taught me four years ago, and let a dark cloud flow through me like an anesthetic, numbing myself completely.

Somewhere in the back of my head I noticed Renesmee and Heidi were no longer following us, but let it go. We soon had the priest in the top of the tower where I, and many other Volturi had done their changing. I stared at the writhing boy screaming on the couch and realized that we both had a monster's venom running through us. When the others left, I knelt down beside the couch and said quietly "I'm sorry."

Renesmee ran into the room then. "I have to tell you something." She said and I straightened out. "I accidentally ripped your Wuthering Heights book. It's in your library."

I growled and pushed past her, stepping out of the window of the tower and landing three stories below in front of the window of the library. I jumped in and came face to face with Esme and Rosalie.

"Hello Bella." Esme said, smiling warmly at me.

"Hi Bella." Rosalie said. She wasn't glaring at me and had a friendly voice. How odd.

I nodded at them as my greeting, looking between the two curiously. "Well," Esme said after a pause. "We heard that you aren't doing as well as usual and we came to apologize if we are the cause."

I shook my head and she sighed in relief.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Rosalie asked.

I stared at her bewildered. Not only was she being nice, but she was also offering me help? I shook my head again.

"Edward wants to talk with you." Rosalie said hesitantly.

"Rosalie!" Esme reprimanded. "Bella, wait!" But I was already out the window, heading to the rose gardens.

I quickly found the fountain and sat on it's ledge, dipping my fingers in the water, letting my hood fall over my head. I went over what happened in the basement in my head, but I couldn't see how it would fit into any plan. I sighed and leaded closer to the water, my hair falling from the hood, nearly touching the water.

I felt more than saw or heard Alice sit down by me on the fountain. "We've got to stop meeting like this." She said. She sighed and scooted closer when I didn't respond. "Okay, you don't have to talk, but please just listen. I'm sorry, for a lot of stuff too. I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for coming back and messing up your life here with the Volturi, and I'm sorry about what happened while we were sparring."

I bit my cheek to keep from crying or whimpering from the new slash she made in my chest, and then returned to dipping my fingers in the water.

"And I'm not sure what you think happened, if you think theirs is some sort of plan Edward and I have got, but it isn't true." She said.

That broke the numb spell I had over my body, and I snapped up and looked at her. "Oh really? So this isn't a plan, you just happened to kiss me?" I growled.

She hesitated and then sighed, seemingly having an internal battle with herself. "No, it was intentional."

I narrowed my eyes, leaning closer to look her in the eyes, not giving her a chance to look away. "Why?"

"Because I..I…"

"What, you _love_ me?" I spat, crossing my arms. Was she really going to try that on me?

"Yes." She whispered.

I snorted and got to my feet, about to end this conversation. "Yeah, if you think I'm going to believe that one, you're sorely mistaken Alice."

She dropped her head, looking down at her lap. "I'm sorry." She said, sounding so sad that I couldn't move my legs to leave.

"For what, now?" I asked.

"That you don't trust me." She replied.

I looked over my shoulder with a guarded look. "How am I supposed to? How am I supposed to trust any of you, Alice?"

"Because, we didn't want to leave, we tried to convince Edward to change his mind! But he wouldn't Bella, he thought by leaving you, he was protecting you from us!" She said and then clasped a hand over her mouth.

I laughed darkly. "Fat lot of good that did." But a small fuzzy memory broke out to the front of my mind, how much it hurt that she didn't say bye. "Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"I begged him to let me, but he wouldn't, he thought I'd be too weak and not leave you. Which is probably the truth, but that's beside the point…" She mumbled.

I walked over to her cautiously. "You're not lying, all that was the truth?" I asked. She nodded in response and I could see the honesty in her eyes. I smiled weakly. "I missed you-" I started but was cut off.

"BELLA!" Someone screamed from the castle. "The newborn is on the loose!" They continued and we heard multiple crashes.

My eyes narrowed and grew black I'm sure as a growl bubbled up in my chest. "Sorry." I said, looking at Alice who looked as though she wanted to stop me as I got to my feet and blurred back to the castle.

Only, before I could get to the actual castle, the newborn and Ivan crashed out of the wall and into the gardens, wresting and growling at each other. "Don't let him bite you, his venom is poisonous to us!" Heidi shrieked, running out with Caius, Aro, Marcus, the Cullens, and a few other Volturi members. I noticed that Felix was missing and he was usually the first one there in a fight.

"How is he done changing already?!" I asked, going to run around the two fighting, but suddenly Ivan was flung off and the priest turned to me.

"You did this to me!" He screamed, stalking towards me. I took a few steps back but stopped when I heard Alice beside me.

"What's going on?!" She asked, alarmed.

The priest got in a crouch and everyone froze, watching him like a hawk. "You took away what I loved, you took my religion!" Was this guy delusional? What was he talking about? "Now I'll take away what you love!"

Most everyone looked over to Edward who was looking at me with an intense look in his eyes, but I turned to my side, slowly stepping in front of Alice in a protective stance. "Stop now, before you get yourself killed boy." I said, loudly, ignoring the confused and shocked faces of everyone else.

"Bella?" Alice asked, stepping to the side to look at me with a cautious, but ecstatic look in her eye. "Do you love me?"

I opened my mouth to answer but Renesmee screamed. "Bella!"

I turned in time to see the priest had lunged at Alice with his teeth barred, but I jumped at him, feeling the searing pain in my shoulder as his teeth broke my marble skin. I growled and flung him off, pouncing at him and pulled hard on his head, hearing the sickening rip, and tossed it to Demetri who had started a fire. I staggered backwards and let Jane and Alec finish him off while and odd feeling started surging through my body. My right leg gave out and I fell to my knees, looking back over to Aro with wide eyes. "Were you bit?" He asked, running over to me.

"Yeah." I said breathlessly. What? How was that possible. "What's going on?" I asked, gasping for air as my lungs started to burn, a burn I knew all too well from my transformation into a vampire.

"His venom is poisonous!" Heidi cried, running over with the Cullens, and Renesmee. "Felix is on the ground out cold in the castle, I can't tell if he's dead or just unconscious, he isn't breathing!" She said, starting to panic.

My right arm gave way then and flopped down to my side as I grimaced, the fire charging through my body was increasing in heat and moving much quicker than before. I searched all the worried and frantic eyes that were staring at me and others, looking for a pair in particular. My gaze locked with Alice's wide, scared one. It was then that my chest started to burn as well and I began getting dizzy, barely able to keep my eyes open. "Alice, yes, I do." I said and then fell back to the ground as the flames dancing in my body became too much to ignore and consumed my whole attention.

* * *

**NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!**

**xP**

**Review? ^^ **

**:O If you don't, she might die! You don't want that, do you?!**

**~Paige**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Suspenseful, right? xP **

**Your reviews made me giggle, I enjoyed them quite a bit. Especially untamed4ever's, it was really good.**

**And to Reader-Rabbit98, I may not like Edward because he's a drama queen and stupid for leaving Bella in so many ways, but I'm not going to KILL him. O.o Maybe just mess up his pretty face a little. xP**

**Anywhoozles, here's the next chapter!**

**Alice's POV**

Bella blurred back to the castle, leaving me on the ledge of the fountain, contemplating going after her or not. A crash had me jumping to my feet and running off in the direction of the castle but I soon came to a stop when I saw Bella backing slowly away from the screaming boy they were carrying through the halls earlier. "What's going on?!" I asked, racing up beside Bella who looked quite angry, but also a little scared.

The priest got in a crouch and my family froze, while the Volturi and Bella's eyes became even darker and they watched every inch of him, waiting for him to make a move. "You took away what I loved, you took my religion!" What was he talking about? Did Bella change him? "Now I'll take away what you love!"

I looked over to Edward, like nearly everyone else was, and saw him looking at Bella intensely. My heart squeezed, seeing that everyone had agreed that Bella loved Edward, which meant there could be no her and I. But when I looked over to Bella, she was looking at me, not even glancing at Edward. She slowly stepped in front of me, in a protective stance and I internally gasped, like many people did out loud. Wait, she could have just been doing this because I was here with her alone, no one else was around to protect me in case the newborn tried to pounce on me. I had to be sure, I needed to know then and there, my heart couldn't take much more. I carefully stepped aside to look Bella in the eye. "Bella? Do you love me?" I asked and held my breath.

She looked at me, her eyes loosing their darkness and opened her mouth while I waited for the first word to come out, as if it were my life line. Only, instead of hearing her bell like voice, I heard Renesmee's screaming "Bella!"

I turned at the same time she did and saw the priest had lunged towards me with his teeth barred, but Bella jumped at him. I heard her gasp as they fell to the ground and saw his teeth sunk into her shoulder. I was frozen with shock, and terrified at the same time as Bella growled and flung him off, pouncing at him and pulling hard on his head. She tossed it to Demetri who had started a fire and staggered backwards, letting Jane and Alec finish him off while she grabbed her right shoulder with her left arm. She fell to her knees, looking back over to Aro with wide eyes. "Were you bit?" He asked, running over to her.

"Yeah." She said breathlessly. She was breathless? Wasn't that impossible for vampires? What was happening to her? "What's going on?!" She said, sucking in as much air as she could, like someone who just fended off drowning would.

"His venom is poisonous!" Heidi cried, running over with everyone else. "Felix is on the ground out cold in the castle, I can't tell if he's dead or just unconscious, he isn't breathing!" She said, starting to panic.

Bella's right arm fell to her side and she grimaced, looking up at us all frantically. She locked gazes with me, her eyes desperate but warm. "Alice, yes, I do." She said and then fell back to the ground, her features softening, looking peaceful for once.

If one didn't know any better, one would think she was a statue, but I didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts, I had fallen to my knees beside her, grabbing her hand. "Bella! Get up, you can't do this to me!" I said, trying hard to hold back the dry sob making it's way up my throat. Everyone else was staring at the scene before them confused, or surprised. "Please!" I yelled, squeezing her hand. "Don't just stand there!" I screamed at the others, not meaning to take my frustration out on them, but they were just staring! "Go see if Felix is getting better! Figure out how to fix this!"

Carlisle was the first to move, kneeling down on the other side of Bella and taking her hand, checking for a pulse though we all new there was none. "I..I don't know what to do." He said quietly.

My body started shaking and I couldn't contain the dry sobs that racked through me. "Please, there has to be something!" I said, looking up at Aro.

Demetri ran out with Felix over his shoulder and laid him down next to Bella on the ground. "He's still the same, I can't get him to respond to anything."

"It's because they're dead, can't you see that?" Bailey said, glaring at Bella laying on the flattened bush of red roses.

Before anyone could react, Renesmee's arm shot out and she had Bailey in the air by the neck, hissing and growling in her face. "If you open your mouth one more time while on the Volturi grounds, or even glance in Bella's direction, I'll burn you myself and dance on your ashes." She spat and threw Bailey to the ground. "Control your mate." She hissed at Edward who was looking confused, hurt, and shocked at me.

"You…and her…you guys…she loves you?" He finally got out.

"Yes." I whimpered and turned back to her. "Which is why she needs to get up! You can't tell me you love me and then die, you can't, I won't let you!"

"The sun will be up soon." Alec said softly, walking over to Bella with Heidi, Jane, and Renesmee. They carried her and Felix into the castle, while we all followed, Emmett nearly holding me up since I could hardly walk. We came to what was once a dining hall, but now just had a large rectangle stone table with a black sheet over it, where they laid Bella and Felix.

Everyone stayed for a while but eventually left, my family going to go pack for the trip back home, minus Edward and myself who didn't want to leave the room until we were leaving the castle. Aro, Marcus, and Caius had all labeled Bella dead, but Aro had agreed to let her body remain, and gave us his word he would not burn it. I still couldn't believe it, I didn't want to leave, I felt like I was leaving her, but I knew I couldn't very well stay there forever, even though I had asked to. Edward was particularly quiet and I wasn't sure which situation it was because of, Bella dying, or us.

"She didn't love me anymore, did she." He said quietly, the first sentence that had been said in the room the whole day.

"No." I replied. "You broke her heart, she couldn't love you."

There was a moment of silence before he answered. "I'm glad you fixed it again, no one should die with a broken heart, especially not her, she's been through enough."

I looked over at him and he smiled weakly at me. "I thought only fire could kill us." I said and bit my lip to hold in another cry.

"You heard the others. The priest's blood had a disease, Bella's venom made it stronger and lethal to even us." He said grimly. "I would have thought her shield would become stronger with the venom in her and block physical things. None of this would have happened then."

"Wait!" I said quickly. "Read my mind!"

Edward raised an eyebrow and then focused, frowning. "I can't."

"Exactly! Bella's shield is still around everyone, which means she's still alive!"

"Alice, they have another shield in the castle." Jasper said as he and the rest of the family came into the room, including Maria who was holding his hand and smiled sadly at me. I assumed he told everyone everything, since no one was questioning it.

"We have to go if we're going to make the flight, I booked the very last one, and it's already eleven o'clock." Carlisle said, putting a hand on my shoulder and guiding me to the large oak doors of the room.

I nodded and picked up my bags, walking slowly to the doors with the others.

"Alice!" A strangled, raspy voice choked out behind us. We all stopped in our tracks and I spun around, dropping my bags and running over to Bella who was writhing on the table.

"Bella!" I yelled, grinning ear to ear and jumped onto the table, taking hold of her hands that were clutching the black sheet. "Get someone! Carlisle!" I called, looking over to the others who were staring with their jaws dropped. Carlisle ran over and got onto the table, holding onto Bella to try and steady her. "It looks like she's having a seizure." I said nervously.

"Yes, but vampires can't have seizures." He said in a professional tone. "Emmett hold her legs, try to keep her steady, I don't know what happening or if she can hurt herself. Edward, run and get Aro and anyone who knows any medical." He said and Edward was gone in a flash. "Bella, can you hear me? Bella, if you can hear me, try and open your eyes." He said loudly.

Bella's eyes shot open and her irises were no longer black or even red, but a cloudy white. "Look at me!" I said, turning her head to face me. "Look at my eyes." She stared searchingly and let out groans and little screams of pain, but the cloudiness dissipated somewhat, leaving them a more clear white and she looked into my eyes. "You're going to be fine, we're going to fix this."

"Alice." She whispered and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Don't you leave me again!" I screamed as Aro and Edward ran into the room.

Her eyes opened again and the white seemed to be swarming around in circles, growing pink, to red, and back to white, over and over. Bella screamed and sprang into a sitting position, clutching her heart and gasping, her eyes fading to a black. "Stay…with me.." She said and fell back into Carlisle's hands. He laid her back down and stepped back, looking her over as she breathed deeply, truly looking like she was sleeping.

"What. Just. Happened?" Rosalie said, staring at Bella much like everyone else in the room was as she laid there, holding my hand.

* * *

**And I bet you guys were thinking this chapter was going to answer some of your questions…Neva! It leaves you with more! *Cackles evilly***

**Now, push that little button down there, you know the one, it says REVIEW! Please! ^^**

**~Paige**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alice's POV**

**Hey! So, I've read more of your comments and they are getting funnier and funnier. I almost enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing this story! You guys are hilarious.**

"I...I'm not sure. Carlisle?" I asked, looking up from Bella over to him.

"Um." He said, looking over Bella and then to the others. "I honestly have no idea. I've never seen any vampire go through that before, it could be anything."

"But she's still alive at least." Esme said gently, smiling at everyone.

"You can say that again." Emmett finally let go of Bella's legs and examined the damage that was caused to the table. "Sheesh, who knew little Bella could be so strong."

Cauis, Marcus, and a bunch of other Volturi members burst through the oak doors then, pushing past everyone. "The Cullens need to leave the room to make space." Cauis said, walking up to Bella, Carlisle, and I. "That means you two." He said.

"What's the meaning of this, Cauis?" Aro asked, gliding over to us as I was ushered back away from the table with Carlisle.

"You said Bella was alive and needed help, that's what we're doing. Now, clear the room of your _friends_." He said, looking over at us and then back to Bella.

Aro turned to us, smiling as if nothing had just happened. "You all go back to your rooms, I'll inform you with any new news on Bella straight away."

"But she asked me to stay, you heard her." I said, going to step around him, but a large Volturi member had zipped in front of me.

Renesmee walked over and touched his shoulder, making him back away so she could face me. "I'll keep an eye on things here, if you don't leave, you'll just upset Cauis. The moment her eyes open again I'll come get you." She said quickly and so quietly I could barely hear her and I was standing right next to her.

I nodded and followed the others out into the hall again, looking back over my shoulder one last time at Bella and the multiple people surrounding her. We were all walking down the hall when Rosalie broke the silence. "Did anyone else notice her eyes?"

"Yes, they were...different. I've never heard of vampires with white eyes before." Jasper said and Maria nodded in agreement.

"She was warm too, she felt like she had a fever." Carlisle added. "Not to mention that the venom running through her was being pumped, by her heart." He said and everyone stopped to look at him. "I couldn't hear it, but I could feel it, didn't you?" He asked me.

"I was a little distracted, I'm not really sure what I noticed and didn't." I answered.

We all decided to meet up later and wait to see if Bella would wake up again, so we split off to go to our own rooms. I had never really felt alone before then, Jasper had gone off to Maria's room and I was left alone in our, I mean, my room. The sun was coming up so I drew the curtains, leaving the room dark, and flopped down on the bed, just thinking. I had so many questions; was Bella really okay now or would she stoop back into her statue like state? Was her transformation into a vampire reversing? Was she turning into come kind of hybrid now? Was that even possible? And most importantly; if everything was better and she was fine, would she come back home with us?

I sighed and rolled over onto my side, staring at the clock on the bedside table. I watched the seconds hand tick for a while, and then the large hand move half way around the clock. It was times like these that I really missed sleeping, or rather, wished I could sleep, since I couldn't ever remember sleeping in the first place. But humans looked like they enjoyed it a lot, and the others were always talking about how much they missed it.

The bed moved and someone wrapped their arm around my waist and I rolled my eyes, about to push Emmett or whoever thought they were being funny, off the bed and onto the floor. But then I realized that their arm was actually a little warm and if I concentrated, I could feel a faint pulse on their wrist. I turned over and met eyes with Bella's dim red ones. "You're awake!" I gasped and she smiled. "How? Are you okay? Should I go get someone?"

"No." She said in a quiet voice. "I'm fine, well, sorta. I've never felt so tired in my life and my insides feel like they're boiling, but you're cold so it's fine. Besides, I don't feel like having them poke and observe me again, it was weird the first time." She said and then sighed. "You have one little accident with poisonous venom and everyone freaks out..." She said and smirked.

"It's not funny!" I said grinning. "You could have been seriously hurt. We all thought you were..." My grin slipped from my face. "You know."

"You can't get rid of me that easy." She replied, her eyes starting to glow.

"Yes, you proved your point with the whole seizure. Oh and by the way, thanks for scaring the bejeezus out of everyone in the room." I said sarcastically.

She scoffed. "I was _trying_ to get your attention. I thought you were going to leave me."

I looked at her more closely and saw the skin under her eyes a light purple shade, like what humans get when they had no sleep for a few days. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?" I asked again.

"Alice," She said and paused. "I'm. Fine. Promise!" She pecked me on the nose and smiled. "See?"

"Alright, alright. I'm just making sure. No one knows what happened. Do you?" I asked curiously.

She turned onto her back as did I and I found her hand with mine, while she pondered things. "Sort of. It was definitely not something I had been through before, and for sure not something I want to go through again. I'm pretty sure for a while I saw my grandma, which scared the crap out of me and I thought I was really dead. It was like half the time I felt like I was changing into a vampire all over again, and half the time I felt numb, like I someone had frozen my whole body with anesthetic."

"That's an odd combination." I put in.

"Indeed, it was. But, I'm back...for the most part." She said.

"What do you mean for the most part?"

"I feel funny, but I'll talk to Aro or Carlisle about it later." She shrugged.

"Later? How about now so you know you are okay." I said, going to get up and drag her down the hall to Carlisle and Esme's room if I had to.

She hugged my waist again and pulled me back onto the bed. "But I'm _tired_! I just want to lay here with you."

"We need to make sure you're okay though!" I laughed and tried to free myself.

"I think we already proved whose stronger than who, I won last time Alice, remember?" She grinned. "I don't know why you struggle, a vegetarian against an Elite Volturi? It's almost cruel."

"Says the vampire whose _tired_." I smirked and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Your hair is a mess." I laughed.

There was a knock on the door and we both snapped our heads in it's direction. "Bella, Alice, Cauis, Marcus, and Aro are holding a meeting in the throne room about the upcoming ball." Renesmee's voice whispered before she darted down the hall.

Bella growled. "They're _still_ having it, after everything that's happened?"

"What ball?" I asked, sitting up and slipping on my shoes again while she put on her cloak, yawning.

"They're having a masquerade ball for some anniversary, I think it's Marcus and his wife's. Every coven is invited." She mumbled.

"So? Why is it upsetting you so much?" I asked. I knew Bella wasn't one for parties or dresses, but she was never this foul about them.

"It means that a certain newly formed coven is going to be arriving. The leader is an old...acquaintance of mine, and, well, yours too." She said, sliding her hand in mine as we walked down the hall.

"Who is it?"

"Victoria." She said, her eyes black as coal.

* * *

**Dun dun dunnnnnnn. So, that answered, well, I doubt any questions other than 'Is Bella going to die?!' Not to worry though, more questions will be answered soon. Hang in there!**

**I was wondering if maybe, possibly, if it wouldn't be too much, could you review? ^^**

**You guys may be addicted to my story, but I'm addicted to your reviews! xP**

**~Paige**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey! Sorry it took forever to get this chapter up, I had writers block and then I was busy reading other stories.**

**Anyways, still loving those reviews ^^**

**Enjoy!**

**Bella's POV**

Alice stopped abruptly, looking at me with wide eyes. "Like James, Victoria, Laurent, _that_ Victoria?"

"The one and only." I mumbled sourly. Just thinking about her put me in a bad mood, not to mention that my body was tired when it wasn't supposed to be, and my temperature rising.

"Wouldn't she be angry and try to kill you or Edward for killing James?" She asked as I pulled her hand and we started walking again.

I sighed. "No, we're pretty much in the same boat, well, _were_ in the same boat." I said, smiling down at her.

She furrowed her brow. "What?"

"So many questions, today eh? Never mind her, I can handle her myself." I said and then thought about something. "Just, keep an eye out. Their whole coven is full of James and Victoria clones."

I saw the other Cullens enter the hall up ahead and slowed our pace immensely. "What's wrong?" Alice asked, looking ahead at the others and then to me.

I bit my lip guiltily. "I haven't exactly been…very nice lately."

"Nonsense, we all understand, right from the beginning we did." She chimed and sped up again, pulling me along behind her.

"I still feel bad…" I whispered and all the Cullens turned at once, looking back at us and smiling brightly. "Now I feel worse." I groaned. Here they were being all forgiving and understanding while I was horrid to them.

"How are you feeling Bella?" Carlisle asked once we reached them, and we all continued together towards the throne room.

"Perfect." I said, standing straighter. I heard Alice's growl and sighed. "Okay, maybe not _perfect_. I'm feeling tired and a little warm, but it's no big deal, honest."

Carlisle thought for a few moments while we entered the stair well leading down to the foyer. "I do have a theory." He said and I nodded for him to continue. "It stands to reason that since you were bitten by another vampire, one that had a new kind of venom, that there is a good chance you may be going through a new kind of change. Like I said, this is just a theory, but if I'm correct, you should start feeling better once the change is done. It's only been a day; we need to give it some time. But do come to me later if it worsens or lessens. I would like to stay in the loop."

"We will!" Alice beamed.

I looked over at her grinning face. "When I said stay with me, I didn't mean you had to be with me always, you know." I said and her grin fell. "But I didn't mean that I don't like it when you are!" I added hastily, squeezing her hand and she smiled again. Man, being a Volturi for so long seemed to have rusted my people skills.

Renesmee and Heidi were standing outside the throne room doors and both turned and ran over giving me a hug. "You're okay?" Renesmee asked, scanning me over. "You're warm, and you look drowsy, are you alright?!"

"Calm yourself!" I said, grabbing her shoulders. "I'm fine, I'll tell you everything later, right now we're going to be late for the meeting. Which, by the way, do you happen to have any idea why we're having the ball still?"

Renesmee shrugged but Heidi piped in. If there was ever anything you needed to know, Heidi was your girl. "The Vampyres are here already, nobody seemed to remember to send out letters saying it would be post poned, so now everyone is on their way while we set up the ball room. Which reminds me, you need to go out and get things, I've got list made and I photocopied it." She said, pulling out a piece of paper from her pocket and handing it to me. "Everything highlighted in pink is yours."

"Pink?" I asked. "Are you serious? Pink?"

"It's not my fault you never wear anything but black. You need colour in your life." She said, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, Nyx was asking where you were."

My eyes grew wide. "She's here?!" I hardly ever got excited, actually I never got excited, only the one time I met Nyx. I had walked up ready to drag her back here for making a coven without consent from us, and left smiling brightly and told Aro the story, who talked over the phone with her and she convinced him to let them be. She was always radiating peace, you couldn't be angry around her no matter what.

I quickly entered the room, waving the Cullens to hurry and follow, barely containing my grin. "Bella." I heard Nyx's voice across the room.

I searched the room and locked eyes with another pair of topaz ones, not from the Cullens. I had told her about hunting animals since she had felt so very bad for drinking from people, and I've been on her good side ever since. I walked over and placed my right hand over my…_beating_ heart, and bowed. "Merry meet, Nyx."

"Merry meet Bella." She said and was echoed by all seven other girls in her coven.

I looked around quickly and saw that the meeting had not quite started since Marcus had yet to arrive and turned to the Cullens, waving them over. "These are the Cullens, Cullens, these are the Vampyres. You'll love their history Carlisle." I said excitedly and he chuckled.

"They do seem interesting, I'm sure I would. I noticed you hunt animals." He said, smiling at Nyx and her daughters.

"Yes, Bella told me long ago about the diet. I see you follow it as well." She replied.

"Follow it, he _made_ it." I said. I couldn't stop talking, somewhere in the back of my head I felt like a little girl on Christmas day, and it was starting to bother me.

Nyx's eyes widened and same with her daughters, all of them placing a hand over their hearts and bowing to him much like I had. Nyx had extremely long brown hair that went way past her waist, though she never kept it tied up, so it touched the ground, much like her daughters'.

Marcus walked into the room then, taking his place on his throne, looking bored as ever, and I knew the meeting was about to start. "I must go Nyx, but I'll talk to you girls later." I said quickly and was replied to by multiple 'blessed be Bella's.

Aro stood up and everything quieted while I made my way to the front to stand by Jane and Alec. "As you can see, the ball is still a go. Like the Vampyres," He said, smiling over at them. "Other covens will soon be arriving and the ball is tomorrow night. So, we're asking that those of you who have assignments, leave them until after the ball if you can, and help around here. Jane and Alec will be coming around some time tonight to give you your shift for patrol. We don't want any snooping teenage humans, or any covens fighting to wreck the night." With that, Aro, Cauis, and Marcus left while Heidi and Jane and Alec went around, informing people what they needed to do.

I looked through the other Volturi members and saw the Cullens at the back near the Vampyres, the Cullens standing with their mates while they talked to the Vampyres. Then I saw Alice looking through the crowd too and smiled, moving farther back so I could get to the wall unseen. I crept along it, around the room until I was behind them all and tiptoed up, quiet as a ghost. I tried hard not to laugh but was losing my straight face as she kept searching, and quickly snaked my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder. "Looking for someone?" I asked.

"Yes, Heidi." She said.

"What?" I asked, going to pull away but she laughed and held my arms where they were.

"I'm joking."

"So, I assume you Cullens are coming to the ball." I said after a moment.

"You assume correct. Which means that we need to go shopping for formal clothes, and you're coming with us." She said and laughed again when I stiffened. "Yes, that means you're going to be wearing a dress."

"Ugh," I groaned. "But I wore my cloak _last _time and no one had a problem with it. I'm not wearing a dress, Alice." I said firmly.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleeeaaassseee?"

By now the Vampyres and other Cullens were watching as I scowled at them for not helping me, which caused them to laugh. "No. I don't wear dresses, like, ever."

She hesitated and then asked quietly, "For me?"

My scowl faltered, and I sighed, knowing that I'd do anything for her. "Fine." I grumbled. She turned around and hugged me, kissing my cheek, beaming up at me. "I get to pick the dress and it has to be black. No colours." I said and smirked when she frowned. "Hey, I'm going to be the only Volturi member wearing a dress, if you don't count the wives, I don't want to stick out more than I already am going to."

"Bella's going to wear a dress, Bella's going to wear a dress." I heard Emmett singing lowly.

"I'll put you in a dress if you don't cut that out." I warned but smiled.

"I'd like to see you try. You're not getting past these bad boys." He said, flexing.

"It wouldn't be that hard." I laughed.

His face turned serious when the others laughed. "Arm wrestle, I'll prove I'm stronger than you _Volturi_." He said and smiled triumphantly when I frowned.

I looked at his eyes and then down to Alice's, noticing that they weren't a topaz or even the honey color I remembered from my human memories. "Later tonight, once we've both quenched our thirst."

"Deal." He nodded, grinning like a fool while I rolled my eyes.

"What will you be doing all day then? Maybe we could all hand out." Everyone turned and looked at Rosalie who shifted uncomfortably under out stares."What? I thought that if she wasn't doing any important business, that we could…hang…out... Okay, I get it, I was a bitch, can we move on?" She growled, crossing her arms.

"Of course we can." I said and she smiled as everyone stopped staring at her. "I've got some things on Heidi's endless list that I need to go find while it's still cloudy out, and then I have to help set it up in the ball room. If you want, you guys can tag along. It won't be anything fun-"

"Bella!" Heidi said. "There you are. Okay, I need you to go out and get that stuff and then meet up with the others in the ball room later and – Esme!" She said, turning to Esme. "I'm the lead designer in the castle, which includes for tomorrow's ball, but Bella used to go on and on about your artistic skills, so I was wondering if I could show you and Carlisle and whoever else my sketches for the room."

"She's lucky she doesn't need to breath, that girl can _talk_." I whispered in Alice's ear. She giggled while Heidi growled at me.

"Sure, I'd love to." Esme said and Carlisle nodded. Esme smiled warmly at me and patted my shoulder as her and Carlisle and the Vampyres who I had forgotten were here, followed Heidi out of the throne room.

"Well, I guess that leave it to us." I said looking at the remaining Cullens, Maria, and Renesmee. "Wait, something's off." I looked over to Bailey who had an expressionless face. "Why aren't you being sour?"

"I threatened to light her on fire and dance on her ashes if she opened her mouth one more time on Volturi grounds." Renesmee said, staring at Bailey with a hard look.

"That's my girl." I laughed and she smiled at me.

----

"Alright, first item on the list?" Renesmee asked from the driver's seat of the limo. Edward had sat up front with her so he could pull directions from people's minds if we needed them or got lost, seeing as neither Renesmee nor I had ever been outside in Italy before, it was always another country or in the castle.

"Lights." Jasper read from the list Maria taped to the roof of the car. "Why again is it on the roof?"

"Knowing Heidi, she'll want a lot of everything we buy. We're eventually going to run out of room in the trunk and have to start piling it in here with us and we'll still be able to see it when it's on the roof." She said, tossing out the table that had been in front of us all, out the door I was holding open. We had took the largest limo, where the front was separated from the back with a speaker to communicate, and all the seats in the back were all around the sides so everyone could see everyone, leaving a little open spot for the door. Which meant a lot of space in our circle, er, rectangle I guess.

"Do you really think it will get that full?" Emmett asked, eyeing the space.

I shrugged. "Hope for the best and expect the worst. Better having it up there safe, then losing it down here."

"Better start with electronics shop and see if they know where to go if they don't have lights." I heard Edward tell Renesmee.

I pulled off my cloak and balled it up, setting it on the seat beside me and laying down across the whole side. "Hey." Emmett said. "What do you think you're doing? You said no laying down in here."

"When we start filling it." I laughed. "Until then, by all means, go ahead, just don't lay on me."

"There's no room!" He said exasperatedly. I smiled and winked. I didn't realize how much I missed Emmett's little kid qualities until I saw him huff and go to sit by my feet, lifting my legs and putting his under them so he could lay back somewhat without squashing me. "There." He said, nodding approvingly to himself and looking over to Rosalie.

"You're lucky you're pretty." She said and he smiled while we all laughed. "_Very_ lucky."

----

We had spent hours shopping, getting tons and tons of everything that was on Heidi's list, things Alice and Rosalie thought we would also need, and then to top it off, we had even started to shop for formal clothes. I didn't think it was possible, but I loathed shopping even more. I had been to three different dress stores, trying on nearly fifty dresses, no exaggeration, and now we were in yet another one. The guys were across the store from us, trying on suits, and Renesmee and Rosalie were out looking, though they both had already bought a few dresses, and Alice was pushing me into another dressing room with another dress.

I looked around sighing. If you've seen one dressing room, you've seen them all. "Can we just go back to the castle?" I begged, knowing Alice could hear me from her room beside mine.

"Not until we find you a dress, I know you and you'll just put it off until you can't go." She said.

"Fine." I grumbled. She had a point, I would have stalled, saying I needed to do some work of some sort, until the ball started up and I'd be forced to wear my regular clothes. I slipped off my blouse and jeans, grimacing at the dress in front of my on the hanger. I suppose it was nice, it was long, and deep black, no sleeves, the usual. I sighed again and plopped down on the stool. Why did Marcus and his wife need another ball? Why couldn't they do what all couples did and just take a trip together?

"I found something you might like." Alice said, walking in with an outfit held up in front of her. I smirked, you could only see her feet behind it she was so small. I looked closer at the outfit and decided that it was perfect and the only formal thing I'd be wearing. It was a red corset top with a black skirt with cuts in it and under the cuts were plaid, and tall black high heeled boots that looked like fancy combat boots, along with a black heart necklace and a black bracelet.

"I love it already." I said, walking over and taking it from her. I walked back to where the other dress was hanging, knocking it down, and hanging the new outfit, slipping on the necklace and bracelet. I heard a small growl, not an angry one though, one I had never heard before, and when I turned around, Alice was staring at me with black eyes. "What is it?" I asked, blurring over to her. When I realized what she was looking at, I put an arm over my chest and stepped back. "My eyes are up here Alice." I said seriously. When she looked up at me I gasped, seeing how much emotion she had in her eyes, the longing, all the want. "Alice.." I breathed as she took a step towards me.

* * *

**Guys please, please, ****please ****check out the link on my profile for Bella's outfit, I described it horribly, so please go look at it.**

**And also, please, please, review! **

**Later! ^^**

**~Paige~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey! I totally forgot what I was going to say! xP**

**Enjoy then I guess!**

**Alice's POV**

I heard Bella sigh yet _again_ and laughed to myself. Some things never change. I had walked out of my changing room when something caught my eye, an outfit, and outfit that wasn't as formal as everyone else would be, but at least it wasn't jeans and a T shirt under a cloak.

Rosalie popped out of nowhere as I started walking over to grab Bella's outfit. "Hey, so have you asked if she's coming home with us?"She asked.

I looked down at my feet. "Well, not _exactly_ I-"

"You're stalling?" Rosalie sighed. "You have to ask soon, we're leaving after the ball."

"I know, I know, I'll ask soon. Now, was there anything you needed?"

Rosalie nodded and opened her hands, holding out a black heart necklace and a black bracelet. "I noticed Bella never wears jewelry." She said, handing them to me. I smiled, they'd go great with the outfit.

"Hey," Renesmee chimed, skipping up to us, holding some nice looking combat boots. "For Bella, she hates pointed high heels. Also, I couldn't help but over hear you guys wanting to bring Bella back with you." Uh oh. "I think you should ask during the ball and do something she can't say no to." She suggested.

Rosalie and I stared at her. I totally thought she was going to say Bella had to stay, or something along those lines. "I'm sneaking you with us in my purse!" Rosalie smiled.

Those two walked off laughing and I hurried over, grabbing the outfit and heading back to the change rooms. I held it up in front of me so she could see it as I entered the room. "I found something you might like."

"I love it already!" She said, taking it to hang it up.

I was about to sigh when I saw her in her under clothing without the dress I had picked out, on. She was so stubborn when it came to clothing! Only, when I opened my mouth, my brain stopped working as I looked at her. Smooth, pale, and perfect. That's all I could think of to describe her, though I could barely think at all. I didn't realize I had growled until she had blurred over to me asking what was wrong. She must have followed my gaze because she covered herself and stepped back. "My eyes are up here, Alice." She said and gasped when I looked up at her. "Alice…" She breathed when I stepped closer to her. "I…I don't think that'd be a good idea." She whispered, stepping back again. But her eyes told a different story, black and full of lust.

She blinked and I was in front of her on my tiptoes, whispering "Liar." In her ear.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she turned her head to look at me, our faces barely an inch apart. "We're in a p..public place."

"Warm…" I murmured, wrapping my arms around her waist.

She looked down at me and cupped my cheek with one of her hands while the other found it's way to my back, gently tilting my face up while she leaned in until our noses just touched. "I want…" She whispered, her breath caressing my lips. I inhaled deeply, her scent was intoxicating. I could very nearly feel her lips on mine and I closed my eyes-

"Do you need some help in there?" Someone knocked on the door, the woman who was helping Bella before.

"I'm fine." Bella called, stepping out of my hold and slipping into her jeans and blouse again. "Thanks for bringing me the outfit, I'll meet you by the check out." She said to me and gathered her things, walking out of the change room.

Why could we never be alone? Why was there someone always knocking on the door?

I stalked out of the room with a pout on my face I intended Bella to see, and saw her waiting with everyone else by the doors. "What's wrong?" Edward asked when I reached them.

"Nothing." I grumbled, glaring at Bella as she laughed and linked our arms.

* * *

"I guess you were right." I heard Emmett's muffled voice from the other side of the limo. It was packed back here, full of bags of different things, I could only see his arm and Bella because she was sitting right beside me.

"This _is_ insane." I laughed.

"Told ya." Bella and Maria said at the same time.

There was some shuffling and then Emmett's voice muffled even more. "I'll never doubt you again."

"At least we're done." Rosalie said from somewhere surprisingly close. "If I were human the phrase 'Shop Till You Drop' would become quite literal."

That reminded me. "How are you feeling?" I asked Bella.

"A lot better actually." She replied.

"Tired still?" I asked.

Bella shook her head. "Other than being hot like a human, I feel the same again." She said and then smirked. "Well you already know I'm warm." She laughed.

"No one likes a tease, Bella." I said and smiled at her.

"See? I'm not the only one who thinks that, Rose!" Emmett said.

Everyone in the limo burst out laughing.

* * *

"Now," I said, hanging Bella's outfit in her closet and turning to look at her sternly. "No burning, ripping, cutting, staining, , loosing, giving away/selling, or trading of these articles of clothing before the ball. Got it?"

Bella stroked her chin and I rolled my eyes. "What if a pack of rabid racoons got to them?"

"Bella." I sighed. "I'll stand guard in here the whole time if I have to."

"What if Carlisle needed something from you?" She smirked.

"He'd understand that I need to stay."

Bella sighed and plopped back down onto the bed. "Fine! I don't see what the big deal is, they're just clothes." She mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Uh," She looked at me with panicked eyes. "I said, did you hear, Felix is up?"

"Is he really?" I asked, sitting down on the bed in front of her as she sat up and nodded. "And he's fine?"

"I'm not sure, Aro is having a look at him as we speak, and I'm assuming Carlisle is there as well. Only time can tell, but I feel fine, so I think he probably does too." She replied. We sat in silence for a few minutes, it wasn't uncomfortable, but I had to break it with a question that had been in my mind lately. "Bella, do you drink from humans?" I asked. She grimaced and I immediately regretted asked. "You don't have to answer, I was just wondering."

"No, it's fine." She said quietly. "In a way, I guess. You can't very well be a vegetarian Volturi, if I were, I'd have a lot more scars than I do already."

I looked at her curiously. "I don't see any." I said, looking along her neck and face. She grabbed my hands and I smiled, but she squeezed them slightly and looked down, so I did too. "Oh." I said, seeing the scars from all the times someone had bitten her hands.

"Those are nothing compared to the one on my back. Riley sure does know how to leave a mark." She said, her eyes darkening.

"Who?" I asked.

She pulled off her cloak and turned around so her back was to me as she unbuttoned her shirt. "Riley, he's in Victoria's coven, I'm sure you'll meet him. Though if he looks at you for more than a second I'll have to rip his eyes out."

"Jealous much?" I laughed.

She shook her head and took off her shirt, revealing the very long scars along her back. "He's dangerous." There were two outer, deeper scars running from the top of her left shoulder to the middle of her mid back with a few more thinner, shallower scars in between them.

I scooted forward and traced my fingers along them, already loathing this Riley person. "How did it happen?" I asked gently.

"I had been a vampire for five years and was on an assignment near Forks. I was curious, and missed Charlie so much that I just had to go take a peek, I couldn't not. But when I came to the house, his cruiser wasn't there and Victoria was, running to the forest from the tree out my window. I chased her down and tackled her to the ground, ready to rip her apart for everything she had done to me, but was pulled off. There was a whole coven surrounding her when I got to my feet, I managed to get through most of them, and had my hands on her when I felt like someone had sliced through my left shoulder. Luckily Jane and Alec found me then, and I haven't seen Victoria since."

Bella sighed and leaned back into me. "So, now that you know for the past twenty five years I've been drinking human blood, fighting old enemies, and hunting down other vampires to punish, what have you been up to?"

"Missing you." I replied and hugged her. "I forgot how much I enjoyed hugging you when you were warm. It's nice, I hate being cold. I can only ever feel the warmth when something is warm. Which is usually fire and things along those lines."

"Do you really miss being warm that much?" She asked.

"Yes, didn't it bother you?"

"No, I've always preferred the cold ever since I met Ed…vampires." She said and became very still.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm a vampire then." I said quickly.

Bella laughed. "Yes, and a good thing I'm warm." She said, tilting her head back to look at me. "And soft! I'm like a teddy bear for vampires!"

I smiled and winked. "My teddy bear." I said, leaning down to her face.

"Guys-" Heidi said, knocking on the door.

I grabbed the lamp beside Bella's bed and hurled it at the door, smashing it. "We're busy!" I yelled and heard Heidi sigh, walking away. "I hate doors." I mumbled before pressing my lips to hers.

* * *

**Review Please! I love your reviews, you guys are so funny!**

**~Paige~**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey! It's great to hear you guys are laughing at the chapters. I was afraid of doing something funny and it would turn out only I thought it was funny.**

**Enjoy!**

**Bella's POV**

"Now," Alice said, hopping off the bed. "I've got to run out and pick up my dress and mask for the ball, I'll see you later." She grinned and sped out of the room, leaving me staring at the door, the broken lamp, and then nowhere. As if she just did that.

I stepped out from the stairwell and walked down the hall towards Aro's office. It still seemed odd to me that he, Caius, and Marcus would have offices in the castle, it's not like they ever did any paper work. It was more of a file storage than anything really, though I still didn't see the point in that, since we never forgot anything. So I was pondering why he called me to the office/storage while I walked to it, and saw Felix exit from there, nodding to me as we passed each other.

Which also reminded me that I had forgotten my cloak so I was wearing just black jeans and a red blouse. I quickly hoped Aro wouldn't mind as I opened the door and stepped inside. "You called, master?" I asked, looking at the back of his chair behind his desk.

The chair spun around and there sat Aro, his eyes widening as he looked over me, and then he smiled, waving me to the seat in front of the desk. "It's good to see that you're wearing colours again." He said as I took a seat.

"Just one." I replied with a small smile.

"Well, it's better than none. But, back to the reason I called you here. I've asked you here so I could talk to you about what you have become, in private without fear of someone overhearing." He said.

"In what terms?" I asked nervously. Did he mean personality wise? I wasn't _that_ different.

"Physically." He clarified and I nodded, calming down. "I've taken a look at Felix with Carlisle, we can't label you as anything specific at this time since we've never heard of anything like this before. However, think of yourself as…an extraordinary vampire, you're faster, stronger, more agile, you skin is tougher, etc. But, as you very well know, every gift has a price. You need blood, _need_ it. Your thirst will be like normal, but your body will start to shut down without it, and you'll fall into a sleep that you cannot wake from without blood. The venom in your body now needs blood to be…active for all intents and purposes, and your body needs the active venom to use like energy. So, while you are a 'super' vampire for a while, you slowly lose it, which can be very dangerous if you don't have any blood around while in a fight. So, before every assignment from now on, I want you to quench your thirst."

I went over everything he said in my head a few more times to make sure I had it all committed to memory, but then a thought came to mind. "Master, I haven't hunted or anything in two days. I'm not tired in the least bit, and now that I think of it, there's no burn in the back of my throat. All that is different about me is that I'm warm, nothing else."

Aro looked at me for a few minutes, pondering over everything, 'hmmm'ing every now and then. "I have an idea, forgive me." He said and before I could question him, he had jumped over his desk and rammed me back up against the door. "Try to break my hold."

I pushed against his arm, gently at first, and then harder and harder. I tried hitting it, and kneeing it, but I couldn't budge it at all. "I." Was this happening? "I can't."

He let me down and stepped back. "Smash the door." He said, his face emotionless.

I turned and took a deep breath, winding back and thrusting my closed fist towards the door. When I pulled my hand back all I saw was a few little indents from my knuckles in the thick oak. "My strength!" I cried, looking down at my hands.

"Hmm. It does appear that you've got the strength of a human again." He said and I clenched my fists, feeling my eyes darken. If that priest wasn't already dead, I would have killed him. "Wait!" Aro said, grabbing one of my hands and pulling extremely hard.

I fell down to the ground and looked up at him like he was crazy. "Have you gone mad?" I asked in disbelief as he grinned at me. "What the hell was that about!" I shouted, not caring if he was in charge. You don't go around tugging on people without warning them first!

"Your arm!" He said, helping me to my feet. "It should be there on the floor or in my hands right now, like anyone else's here in the castle. Your skin in tougher now, you can't be ripped apart."

"Great, _one_ positive in the sea of negatives." I grumbled sourly.

"Maybe you still have your speed." He suggested, crossing his arms. "If you always look at the glass half empty, you'll never figure out how to fill it."

I growled and backed up across the room, facing the stupid door that wouldn't break. "Keep your fortune cookie nonsense to yourself old man."

He laughed and backed up out of my way. "As you wish little girl."

I stuck my tongue out at him and then bolted it as fast as I could to the door, barely having enough time to react and throw my arms up in front of my face as I plowed through it and into the hall. My god, that was fast! "Ugh, I'm stuck." I spat, trying to push the door that was now on me in the hall, off.

"Need some help?" Aro smirked above me. "I could toss you my fortune cookies so you don't drown in that sea of negatives."

"Do you have to rub _everything_ I say back into my face?" I asked as he easily shoved the door off with his foot.

"_Have_ to? No. _Want_ to? Definitely." He smiled patting my shoulder as we walked to the stairwell.

"The world would be a scary place if the Volturi didn't have you as a leader, what with Marcus and his boredom and Caius and his aggressiveness." I laughed.

"Well, you know how they are. World domination this, genocide on humans that." He said. "There's two in every force."

"Force? What, are we quoting from Star Wars now?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Of course not, I would have said army, but I don't like that label. We're not an army, we're an unstoppable force."

"Ah, I see. Well, I've got to go help with the ball room, but we'll discuss this whole situation of what I am later?" I asked as we came to the hall that would take me to the ball room entrance.

"Yes, later before the ball, or afterwards." He said, walking off in the opposite direction. I always liked when Aro was in a good mood, it meant I could joke around with him without fearing the consequences.

I sped down the hall with my new speed, grinning from ear to ear from the rush I got from it as I entered the ball room. The room was huge, the biggest of the whole castle, with stairs at the very far end, splitting off to the two corners that had doors leading the balconies. Quicker than I had run, my grin slipped off my face, returned with a snarl. Victoria's head whipped around and she locked eyes with me, smiling widely. "There you are Bella, I was just asking Renesmee here if she had seen you."

I quickly glanced at Renesmee who was beside Rosalie, her fists clenched and twitching at her sides, her frame shaking, and eyes blacker than I had ever seen them. My eyes flew back to Victoria who was standing with Riley. I glared at him and he too smiled. "How's the shoulder?" He asked, laughing with Victoria and the rest of her coven.

I hissed and crouched down, as did Riley, but Victoria placed a hand on his shoulder and he straightened out. "We're not looking to get kicked out so quickly." She smiled at him, turning to me. "I noticed the Cullens came for a visit as well." She said, watching me carefully. It took all my strength not to look at any of them, which is what she was waiting for me to do. She was waiting to see if I had forgiven them, and who to take it out on. "And I also saw your replacement. I have to say, I'm actually feeling sorry for you. I could understand Eddie here not wanting you as a human, but even as a vampire? That's a slap in the face. Even with your perfection, no one wants you." She laughed.

I bit my lip to hold in my sob, shaking my head as I stumbled back. I shouldn't have let her get to me like that, but I couldn't help it, she was voicing all the feelings I had over the years, and hearing them over again was ripping open the tear in my heart. My mouth fell open and I reached my hand up to my cheek, wiping away a tear with my hand and looking down at it. A tear. It was a tear. From me. My tear. I looked up and saw everyone shocked and then Riley smiling. "You can't even be a proper vampire." He laughed. "No wonder you'll always be alone."

I grabbed my heart and stumbled back further against the wall, sliding down, feeling my shield waver before it snapped back to me. Everyone one who had a gift jumped, Alice's eyes loosing focus, Edward covering his ears, Jasper grabbing his heart as well and falling to the floor. Victoria's coven stumbled around, throwing out their hands like they couldn't see as Renesmee grabbed her head, watching them, probably giving them an illusion before she could even think of one. Everyone else either screamed or fell to the floor in a catatonic state as Jane and Alec stumbled into each other. All of this happened in no more than five seconds before I had my shield around everyone again and it all stopped.

"Your shield! What happened?" Renesmee asked, blurring over to me and kneeling down. I couldn't answer though, my mind was nowhere near my body, it was lost deep down in me, trying to sort through all the emotions running through me. All the ones I had had when Edward left, abandonment, lonely, sad, angry, fear, desperation, seething, numb. They were all coming in fast and steady waves, one right after the other.

I could see Renesmee waving a hand in front of my face, calling something over her shoulder, and then multiple pairs of legs standing in front of me. I barely registered Ivan picking my up into his arms while Aro, Sarah, Heidi, Bernard, and other Volturi members poured into the room, running over to us and then looking around. "Who did this?" I could hear Caius yell from somewhere in the room.

I could feel hands on my cheeks and Marcus turned my face to look at him. I made sure to lock gazes with me and then spoke slowly. "I'll fix this Bella." He said, grabbing me from Ivan and speeding out of the room, down the hall, to a window, and out to the fountain in the rose gardens. He laid me down on it's ledge and sat down beside me.

The emotions began to slow down after a while, a few not even coming again. My breath came easy again and I closed my eyes, taking deeper ones. "Good, now that you've calmed down I can talk." I heard Marcus. "You can't keep going off like that, first it was your birthday, now someone just saying something to you? You're stronger than this Bella. I can't believe you actually believed them anyways," He mumbled. "You know they're wrong, many people care about you Bella, many. Now, take your shield off yourself." He said.

I concentrated and pushed it from my mind and felt his gift. It went through my, soothing everything like soft running cool water, calming me down nearly to the point of putting me to sleep. I can't say how long we sat there, I never was aware of anything but his gift any time he did it, but when he stopped, it was dark out, late into the evening and I could hear music and things going on in the castle. I sat up and looked at him, smiling sadly. "Thank you." I whispered.

He nodded and looked to the castle. "You do know that this doesn't get you out of going to my ball." He smirked.

I gasped and then laughed, not sure if I should be more shocked to hear him say the first joke I had ever heard from him before. "I don't have a mask." I pointed out.

He pulled something out from his cloak that he was wearing over a suit, slipping on a simple black mask that covered his eyes, really bringing out his red irises. "I brought one for you, Heidi mentioned something about you needing one." He said, handing me one the same as his with red stick trimming along the outside of it. "She said red and black." He shrugged. "Now, go get dressed, your guests are waiting for you."

"My guests? It's your ball Marcus." I said, looking at him with a confused face.

"Indeed it is, I'm talking about the Cullens though. They've never attended any of our 'parties' and I'm assuming the only reason they are now, is because of you. Don't keep them waiting." He smiled.

I smiled back and hugged him quickly, blurring back through the castle and up to my room, passing a few other covens in their formal attire as they made their way to the ball room. When I got in my room I saw my outfit laid out on the bed and a note beside it. _Hurry up!_ I smiled, shaking my head and laughing at Alice's note. _There's makeup in your bathroom to put black on and around your eyes for your mask._

I sighed and slipped into the outfit, quickly lacing up the combat boots, putting on the necklace and bracelet, and running over to the bathroom. I put on the makeup and placed the mask on my face, briefly wondering how it stayed without a string or anything, but it didn't fall when I shook my head, so I went on.

I walked quickly down the hall again, pointing a few stray people in the right direction to the ball room and stopped outside one of the doors that would lead to the top of the stairs in the ball room, where Bernard was. "Never thought I'd see the day where _you_ would wear a skirt." He snorted and I glared at him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. You look great!" He added hastily.

"Open the door." I snapped. This was going to be a long night.

"You really do look good." He added as he closed the door behind me.

I rolled my eyes and walked down the stairs, looking out over everyone in the room dancing. I was walking down the last flight of stairs when I found topaz eyes at the bottom, and smiled at Alice. Her mouth fell open as she looked me up and down and when I reached her I could hear her whisper "Wow." To no one in particular.

"Thanks!" I laughed. "I could say the same about you." I added, looking over her. She was wearing a simple black dress that cut down in a 'V' in the back and front, simple, but she made it look like she just came off the runway. "In fact, I will. Wow."

* * *

**Review please! ^^**

**I've already wrote some of the next chapter and I'm loving it. Alice and Bella spend more time together, Bella and Edward talk, Bella and Riley talk, and, well, I guess you'll read and find out!**

**~Paige~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Man, it's freezing today. I couldn't feel my fingers or toes after walking to my bus stop. :S**

**Enjoy!**

**Alice's POV**

"Look." Jasper said, nudging my shoulder. We had been in the ball room since it was opened, admiring all the decorations that Heidi and Esme set up, catching up with other covens we hadn't seen in a while, dancing a little, but mostly we were all waiting to see if Bella was going to make it here tonight like Marcus said she would.

After what had happened a few hours ago, everyone had been on edge, well, everyone but Victoria's coven. They had just walked to their rooms grinning at each other, talking in hushed voices. I was shocked that the Volturi weren't doing anything about it, but Renesmee had grudgingly informed us that they couldn't act unless Victoria's coven did something physical, which they had made sure not to do for that reason alone.

So, once Marcus took Bella wherever he did, I ran up to her room, setting out her outfit, and leaving a note for when she was ready. Since then I had been sitting at our table in the corner of the room, watching Esme and Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett, Jasper and Maria, and Edward and Bailey, all have a good time dancing with each other. To say that I was bummed out would be the understatement of the year.

I twirled my black mask around in my fingers, sighing to myself. "No, no amount of unique dresses people came in is going to make me feel better now."

"What about the one you picked out for Bella?" Maria asked with a smile, pointing to the stairs at the other end of the room.

I followed where her finger was pointing and my mouth fell open. There she was, completely oblivious to all the people watching her. Bella was a sight for sore eyes, even with her angry expression she had on she looked amazing as she glided down the stairs, running her fingers along the stone railing. She had so much grace as a vampire you wouldn't ever be able to have guessed that she was a total klutz as human.

I got to my feet, slipping through the crowd until I got to the bottom of the stairs to wait for her. Her eyes scanned the crowd and then met mine, warming on the spot as she smiled at me. "Wow." I breathed as she descended the last couple of stairs.

She looked me over and smiled wider. "I could say the same about you," She said, doing a double take. "In fact, I will. Wow." She said and I laughed. She sighed and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Music to my ears." She whispered.

"Someone's in a good mood." I commented, slipping my arms around her waist as well.

"I figured I'd show you the softer side after what you saw earlier." She said, wincing.

"Everything they said is totally and completely untrue, Bella." I said immediately, tightening my grip on her.

She smiled again and scanned the room before looking at me. "I know, I shouldn't have let them get to me like that. It's just…" She said, closing her eyes. I didn't push her, she was always editing things, closing herself off and hardly ever opened up, and I didn't want to ruin it. "It's just that I felt all of that for so many years and hearing it out loud brought it all back for a second."

"We shouldn't have left." I whispered, more to myself than her. If we hadn't left, she wouldn't have ever had to feel that. It hurt to know that we were the cause of that much suffering.

"I'm glad you did." Bella said, bringing me out of my reverie with a start.

"What?" I asked. Maybe I hadn't heard right, though I'm sure I did.

She laughed and spun us to the middle of the dance floor, swaying to the beat of the music like everyone else. "I said I'm glad you did." She continued when I looked at her as if she lost her mind. "We wouldn't be here if you didn't, I'd be with Edward, you'd be with Jasper. So, no matter what, I can't bring myself to regret anything and I'd do it again and again if I had to."

I was sure that if I could cry, I would have been. Bella seemed to always know what to say and how to say it, constantly making my stilled heart beat. "I love you." Was all I could manage to say I was so choked up.

Bella grinned, lighting up the whole room and dipped me. "And I you." She whispered, softly pressing her lips to mine before straightening out and twirling me towards the tables. "Let's go say hi to everyone, I just _have_ to compliment Esme, the room looks fantastic."

I looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. "Trying to win over my parents?" I smirked.

"Isn't that how it went back in your day, m'lady?" She asked, playing along.

I nodded seriously, trying not to smile. "And just how are you planning on providing for Carlisle's little girl?"

"I'll buy a farm and…do stuff with it." She shook her head. "I would have made a terrible man, my family would have starved." She laughed. We approached the table where everyone was, talking and laughing to one another and they all turned and smiled at Bella warmly, well, everyone but Bailey, and Edward whose eyes were glued to Bella, effectively getting on my nerves. Let me tell you right now, jealousy is a strong emotion. "Hey."

"How are you feeling?" Carlisle asked as we sat down at the large table with them.

"Good, well, basically. Aro and I found some things out, but we can talk about that later." She said, seeing the question mark on his face. "I love the decorations Esme, simply fantastic, as always." She said, smiling brightly at Esme.

"Thank you Bella." Esme replied, glancing around the room and smiling.

I looked around the table again, smiling at Jasper and Maria who got up to go dance again, and my eyes landed on Edward who was practically drooling over Bella. My last nerve snapped and I bit back the growl building in my throat, settling for leaning my head on Bella's shoulder and smiling again when she wrapped her arm around me and rested her head on mine. "So, when are we going to have that arm wrestle, Bells?" Emmett asked.

Bella froze, though I was the only one who could tell and she sat up straight again. "Not tonight Emmett, maybe later." She said, looking down at the table her hands were now resting on. Something was up.

"So," I said after a few moments of silence. "You decided to go for the Phantom of the Opera look after all, I see." I said to Emmett as he fiddled with his white mask.

He shrugged and looked around the table at everyone else's mask. "I figure if he can pull it off, so can I."

"He actually was a vampire." Bella said quietly.

"Pardon?" Esme asked curiously.

"I met him and he was a vampire. That's why he had the mask, not to cover a disfigured face, it was to cover a beautiful one. He preferred people to fear him and leave him alone instead of finding him breath takingly beautiful and have them follow him around all the time. " She said and then looked up at everyone. "Well, that's what he said. I think he liked the mysterious profile they all gave him and that's why he put up the charade."

"You've met _the_ 'Phantom of the Opera'?" Rosalie asked and Bella nodded. "Who else have you met that we might know of?"

Bella thought for a second. "Uh, I think that's it. However, did you know that Abraham Lincoln was also a vampire?" She said and I looked at her bewildered. "Yes, he wasn't shot, he was bitten. He did die shortly after that though, he couldn't take giving up his life and wanted to expose us so he could be the president again. And as you know, we can't allow that, so Jane and Alec paid him a visit."

"You must have come across many stories over the years here." Carlisle smiled. Bella nodded again, scanning the room once more and then facing everyone again.

"Why do you do that?" I asked. It was starting to peak my curiosity.

"Do what?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Looking around the room every once and a while." I replied, looking around the room as she did again.

"It's my job, I've got to keep the peace, which means I've got to look for trouble." She shrugged.

"Where are the others? Aren't they supposed to be watching too?" I asked. I hadn't seen Heidi or anyone else in the ball room yet.

"Just because you can't see us doesn't mean we can't see you." Renesmee said, skipping up to the table from nowhere. She laughed at me, and all the other Cullen's shocked faces. "Man, you guys have to stop by here more. It's like you don't even know us." She said and shared a laugh with Bella.

"Yeah, come on down for the holidays. We'll pull out the Christmas tree for you." Bella snickered.

I quickly glanced around at everyone else while Bella and Renesmee went on, laughing at the jokes they were making. Everyone was looking at me, it was obvious that I hadn't asked Bella to come back with us yet. 'Soon' I mouthed to them and turned to Bella, about to ask her to dance so I could then ask her to come home with us.

"Bella." Edward asked as I opened my mouth. Everyone looked over to him as he stood up. "Do you think we could talk?" He asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

She looked at it for a few seconds, and then to Bailey who was scowling but keeping quiet while Renesmee was watching her, and then Bella looked around the table at all of us. "Fine." She said, pushing her chair back. She looked at me and her face softened into a smile. "Jealousy looks cute on you." She said and everyone laughed while she walked out to the dance floor with Edward.

"Well that's great, just perfect." I mumbled, huffing to myself.

"What's wrong dear?" Esme asked.

I sighed and calmed myself down a bit. "Edward is talking to Bella, dancing with Bella, alone with Bella." I said and they all looked confused. "He still loves Bella!" I said, throwing my hands in the air.

"I'm sure that nothing will happen, Alice." Carlisle said, glancing over my shoulder at the two in the corner of the other room. "And it's hardly dancing, more just moving their feet to the beat of the music."

"You're not helping." Rosalie said to him and he shrugged, looking helpless. She smiled and patted his shoulder and then looked at me. "You've got nothing to worry about, she pretty much hates his guts, right?"

"I guess. It's just that he was her first love and all." I said.

"Then don't make his mistakes and you're golden." Emmett put in and I looked at him curiously. "For instance, he refused to change Bella, and left trying to be all noble and crap. Now, she's already changed, so just don't be stupid and run away trying to be noble. "

What he was saying actually made sense, Bella used to get quite frustrated with Edward all the time. "What else?" I asked, searching my memory as well.

"Not that I think this kind of brain storming is right, I don't think we should do that to Edward, but if it helps you and Bella," Esme said, looking at us sternly. "Edward used to keep her out of the loop, all the time, and I noticed she didn't like that at all."

I nodded and looked to Rosalie as she sat straighter. "Also, she hates it when he reads her mind while she's with Emmett in the bedroom and then complains about it later, over and over again until she wants to beat him to a pulp for being such a snoop in the first place." She said and we all stared at her. "Okay, maybe that's just me. But I bet she'd hate it too!"

I went through everything in my head once more and then turned in my seat to see Edward and Bella in a discussion that didn't look like it was going so well, Edward looked frustrated and Bella looked pissed off.

"You must be Alice." Someone said, stepping into my view. I looked up to see Riley's face smiling down at me and I didn't like it.

I turned back to the table and saw everyone watching him closely. "Yup." I answered shortly.

He sat down in the chair beside me and I held back a groan. "I haven't heard so much about you, or any of you really other than Bella and Edward." He said. "Victoria didn't even mention this one before." She said, looking at Bailey who hissed at him. "I can see why." He muttered.

 "How do you know Bella?" Emmett asked in a serious tone.

"Bella and I? We go way back, twenty years I believe." He grinned and I growled. "Oh, so she has told someone about me." He laughed. "Well, look now, you see that monster of a scar on her shoulder blade?" He asked. Emmett nodded to him, his face growing darker as he saw where this was going. "That's how we met, I've never quite left a mark like that before." He said and then sighed longingly. "I can't wait to make more on her."

I snapped and jumped to my feet, turning and glaring at him while the hissing was nonstop in my throat. "Leave her alone or I'll rip you apart myself." Rosalie snarled, on her feet like everyone else was, excluding Bailey who was looking between everyone with wide eyes.

"I don't think I will." Riley smiled, getting to his feet slowly. "I think I'll go and have a chat with her now."

"That wouldn't be wise." Carlisle said in a low voice.

Riley looked at Carlisle for a few brief seconds. "No, but it would be fun as hell." He laughed. Esme made to go around the table, but Carlisle put a hand on her shoulder. "Now," Riley said once Esme was still. "I did come over here for a reason. You," He said, pointing at Bailey. "Are Edward's new mate, correct?" He asked.

No one said anything and just glared him. "Victoria will be glad to have her facts straight." He said and I actually felt sorry and a little worried for Bailey. "As for me, you," He said, turning to me. "I've seen how Bella looks at you, you're her mate, aren't you?"

"Yes, and if you don't leave her alone, my eyes will be the last you'll ever see." I growled.

His smile widened. "I like competition." He said, leaning in to whisper to me. "It makes life more interesting, no?"

"Get away from her!" I heard Bella hiss, grabbing Riley by his suit jacket and tossing him towards the dance floor in a movement that none of us, vampires or anything else for that matter, could even register until after it happened.

Riley too looked shocked for a second before he got to his feet and smiled again. "Always a pleasure." He nodded to Bella before disappearing in the crowd of people dancing.

Bella grabbed my face between her hands gently, looking at me frantically. "Are you okay? Did he do something? What did he say? Did he threaten you?" She said, a growl building up in her throat again as her eyes got darker.

"I'm fine." I told her. "What the hell was _that_?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, confused.

"That was _really_ fast Bella, how did you even do that?" I specified while everyone else nodded.

"Oh, it's just something the venom did to me. Don't worry about it, it's actually quite fun. We'll have to go for a run sometime." She smiled at me.

"One more question." I said and she nodded. "Is Riley, I mean, he kind of seemed a little, does he have," This was harder to say than I thought, mostly because I prayed it wasn't true, but I had a feeling it was.

"Is he obsessed with me?" She sighed and I nodded. "Sort of," She said, looking at me. "More with my body and marking it." She said and made a face. "He thinks I'm his now that I've got his mark, like a blood rite but with venom."

"A blood what?" Emmett asked.

"A blood rite." Carlisle said. "When a vampire has a human they can mark them with a scar so that everyone else knows that they are taken and no other vampires will go after them or change them. It's like an unspoken agreement, but hardly ever used since there are not a lot of vampires with that much control to be able to stop once they taste the blood."

Bella nodded and then gasped, tumbling to the table, clutching her heart. I was leaning over the table to see her face in seconds, not wanting to move her and cause more pain. "What's going on?" I asked.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm…f…fine..." She whispered.

"Bella." Carlisle said, putting his hand on her back lightly and she shuddered. "You're warming up, tell me what's going on." He said calmly, as to not make a scene to all the oblivious people still dancing.

"My heart." Bella gasped, loosening up and laying her head on the table as she slid into a chair. "I'm practically human." She muttered darkly and we all immediately knew why. We could now hear and smell the blood pumping through her body, watching as she slowly gained some colour. "Fantastic."

"Is she turning into a human?" Emmett asked, alarmed.

Bella sighed and leaned back in the chair, her cheeks flushed with blood as she breathed deeply. "No. well, not really. My skin is still harder than yours even, unable to be ripped by vampires and I've got a super vampire speed. I've got no thirst, though I'm not hungry either, and I don't think I've started aging again."

"So," Jasper said as he and Maria returned, watching Bella carefully. "You're basically a vampire with blood instead of venom. And no strength or thirst."

"How'd you know about my strength?" She asked, startled.

"You couldn't even hold yourself up there." He said gently and she nodded miserably.

"Huh." Renesmee said. "A human/vampire hybrid."

Bella looked uncomfortable so I took her hand and got to my feet. "Let's dance." I said and she nodded, smiling at me as I pulled her to the dance floor.

"Thank you." She said, stepping into my arms.

"That's what I'm here for." I smiled. "Besides, you shouldn't be sad, there's at least one upside of this."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, smirking at me. "And what might that be?"

"You smell delicious again." I laughed. "And I can make you shiver!" I said, running my fingers along her shoulder and smiling when she shivered.

"Mmm, yes you can." She sighed, her hands pulling my hips closer to her.

I could feel my eyes growing darker and groaned. "Why do we always have to be in public?"

She laughed and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Bad timing." Before kissing the side of my neck below it.

I smiled and tilted my head as she continued down towards my shoulder. "We should move out to the middle of nowhere in a cabin." I said and she 'mmm'ed. "Would you live in a cabin with me?" I asked.

"Of course." She whispered.

"Would you live in a house with me?" I asked again, getting an idea.

She smiled and kissed my cheek. "Of course."

"Would you live with my family with me?" I asked, watching her closely.

She closed her eyes, resting her forehead on mine and holding the back of my neck with her hands. "Of course." She breathed. I closed the distance between our lips but pulled back again to look at her curiously when I felt her smile. "You taste good." She grinned. "You've always smelt good, even when I was a human, but I didn't know that's how you taste too."

I smiled and then looked at her seriously. "Bella, did you really mean it when you said you'd live with us?" I asked, making sure.

"I one hundred per cent meant it, Alice. I'd love to live with you guys." She answered. "Even…" She sighed. "Even with Edward, who 'wants to be friends' still. My god, talk about the most over used phrase in relationships, huh?"

I scoffed. "I thought we were friends." I smirked. "Well, I guess friends with benefits."

She cracked a grin, spinning me and then pulling me close again. "You're so much more than a friend. You're my friend, my love, and my life."

I was about to kiss the crap out of her for being so sweet, but someone snorting behind us made us turn around and come face to face with Victoria.

* * *

**REALLY long chapter! But I loved writing it, I had to stop and go 'Awwwww ^^' a lot.**

**Review please! I need them, I'm running out of motivation and inspiration. D:**

**~Paige~**


End file.
